Dear Members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community

What a fantastic few weeks we have experienced here at the College and, although busy, I am constantly grateful and proud of the work of our staff, community and students. Every day I see evidence of dedication to growth that helps each person aspire to be the best version of themselves.

That wonderful maple tree outside my window with green leaves is only starting to turn yellow and as the leaves fall, accompanied by the cold, frosty mornings, it indicates the promise of a winter fast approaching. Our students look good in their winter uniforms, and scarves are starting to make an appearance. Hopefully we can all enjoy the beauty of the final glimpses of the autumn.

Story of resilience

It would not come as a surprise to many that I enjoy the power of story. I love to read short stories and use them to relay messages to students. I receive and subscribe to a number of online periodicals that provide me with ideas around story. Perhaps you might come across some inspirational short stories that you would like to share with me. If so, please email them to principal@mlmc.vic.edu.au

Recently, in one such periodical, I read a short piece on improving resilience. I liked this article because it offered some simple sound advice about the role that we, as parents and guardians, have in helping our children to become resilient contributors to our society. The article was written by Dr Rangan Chatterjee and some of the main points included:

• Put away phones at the dinner table and talk — do you even eat around a dinner table?
• He spoke of safe times to talk such as making car journeys, meals and queues count — chat, listen, talk about your feelings and encourage children to express theirs
• Have one-on-one time with each and every child even if it is only for 10 minutes — ensure it is 10 minutes of focus
• Quality sleep is important — limit screen time and reduce blue light
• Exercise is important — walk the dog as a family
• Delayed gratification — we must teach our children that they cannot always have everything they want and they must work to achieve
• Eat the alphabet — a varied and healthy diet is important to help our brains and improve resilience
• Model gratitude. Dr Chatterjee suggested three questions to ask each other around the dinner table — “What did someone do today to make you happy? What did you do to make someone else happy? What have you learned today?”.

This is a quick summary of the article, which is also attached for your reading enjoyment.

College Events

Over the past fortnight we have enjoyed a number of community events. Tuesday 7 May saw the College celebrate Special Person’s Day, whereby Year 7 students were encouraged to invite a special guest or two to visit. The day began with an assembly after which the students showed their guests around the College and enjoyed morning tea with them. It was a busy morning with many guests in attendance, who obviously enjoyed the experience. Congratulations to the Year 7 organising team and thank you to all those ‘special people’ who emailed me to say what a wonderful time they had.

On Thursday 9 May the College celebrated Taste of MLMC, where students from Grades 4, 5 and 6 visited to gain a taste of what is on offer at MLMC and to gain a snapshot of a secondary school experience. Again, the College was abuzz, although it did start to get cold as the night air crept in. Coffee vans and the sausage sizzle supplied sustenance to stave off hunger and cold.

The Faculty Learning Leaders and faculty staff provided many interactive sessions for the visiting primary school students, the Parents and Friends’ Association volunteers cooked up a storm and our office staff were welcoming all our guests in Centennial Hall. Taste of MLMC was a great community event to showcase our College. Thank you to all involved.

Business Breakfast

Our Old Collegians’ Association hosted the annual Business Breakfast on Tuesday 14 May. Although it was an early start, to be able to sit down to a hot breakfast at 7.00am was definitely worth it. The morning was co-hosted by Old Collegians’ Executive Officer Ms Lucia Tabacchiera (Class of 1997) and Old Collegians' President and local lawyer Ms Olivia Cox (Class of 2004). The two hours were full of interest, with Anna Baird (Cullen) (Class of 1995) explaining the agony and ecstasy of starting a small business. As she told the story of her company, Bared Footwear, I was fascinated that the qualified podiatrist continued to emphasise the most important element of a successful business — "besides having a great product, you need great staff and service is everything," she said. I resolved to contact Anna and ask for a copy of her presentation as it had lessons for each of us. Another speaker was John Kehoe (Class of 2000), who told of his journey to being a political reporter in Washington DC and Canberra and the many exciting adventures he has had along the way. Entertainment was further provided by Savanna Fanfulla (Class of 2014), who sang about a teacher’s experience waiting for the bell to ring. The event was catered by the College’s Senior VCAL students, who really showcased their talents. It was a great event and I am thankful to all involved.

Federal Election

As we publish this newsletter, I am aware that it is the day before a Federal Election. Rachel Saliba, who is the Executive Officer of Catholic School Parent Victoria — the parent body who works to promote and ensure that parents in Catholic schools have a voice — has written to each school explaining that it is important that parents be fully informed as to the promises made by each of the major parties so that an informed decision can be made when voting. Much is made of the funding to our schools and there is also much misinformation available. Rachel has provided three documents around school funding, religious freedom and Early Childhood Education. These documents are published through the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) and I provide links to these documents, so that you may be fully informed. Please read them at your discretion.

2019 NCEC FAQs

2019 NCEC Facts on School Funding

2019 NCEC Election Party Responses

Movement Guidelines

The Federal Minister for Sport, Senator Bridget McKenzie, in April 2019 launched a new set of guidelines called ‘Movement Guidelines for 5–17 year olds’. These guidelines are based on the latest scientific evidence associated with physical activity, sleep and the impact of sedentary behaviour. They are very relevant given the above discussion about resilience.

The guidelines recommend:

• The accumulation of 60 minutes or more moderate to vigorous physical activity per day
• Limiting screen time and sedentary activity to two hours per day
• Nine to 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep for 5-13 year olds and eight to 10 hours for 14- 17 year olds.

The Department of Health guidelines can be found HERE for your information.

Personal Pars

Members of our community would like your support in praying for and with them as they experience loss with the passing of loved ones. Let us pray for George Ignatiadis, grandfather to Nicoleta (Year 7) and Georgina (Class of 2017). Let us pray for the response of George’s soul and may he rest in peace.

God bless
Philip A Morison
Principal

Belated Happy Mother’s Day

Congratulations to our McAuley Prefects Liam Charlies and Molly Henderson for organising a Mother’s Day craft activity with our Year 7s last week. There was much excitement, scrunching and glueing of paper as students created their personalised cards for their mums or significant women in their lives. Thanks also to the team of Prefects who were on hand to support the activity. Please see some photos from the activity in the photo gallery below.

Study times after school

We will soon be approaching the halfway point of this term. Over the coming weeks, students should be developing study schedules that go beyond homework, allowing for exam preparation. It is vital that study is the number one priority. Homework Club is in McAuley Library (Wednesday 3.30–4.30pm) and the after-hours opening times for Barak Library (Monday–Thursday 3.30–5.00pm) provide the opportunity for students to put in that extra effort. Parents can also monitor work that needs to be completed via Classroom and by checking assessments on the Parent Access Module.

Change to winter uniform

A reminder that we are now in full winter uniform. Year 12 students are reminded that their Year 12 jacket can only be worn at school. The blazer remains the outer garment for all students. With colder weather approaching, it is always tempting to wear extra layers to school. Please be mindful that hoodies and the like must not be worn under the blazer. If you’re cold, please wear the College jumper.

Recall on some blazers

Three years ago, the material used to make the College blazer was changed. By and large, the presentation of the blazer has remained high, with the quality of the material standing up to the rigours of daily wear and tear. However, it has been noted recently that some blazers have been pilling and wearing inconsistently. Recent talks with the suppliers have concluded that a batch of material used may have been imperfect and prone to pilling. It has been agreed that any blazer that is excessively pilling or showing signs of inconsistent wear should be returned to the Bob Stewart Uniform Shop at the College for a replacement — at no cost to parents.

As always, please feel free to contact me if you have anything you would like to chat about.

The month of May is a special time for Catholics to pay homage to our blessed Mother Mary. We pay homage to her, we honour Mary, we do not worshop her. Mary was conceived and lived a life 'full of Grace' (Luke 1:18) and she wishes very much to share the graces given her by God on our behalf.

Mary, chosen by God, you believed the angel’s message and became the Mother of Jesus.
You welcomed shepherds and wise men: Pray for us, Mary, that Jesus may live in us.

Mary, you were beside Jesus at the wedding feast at Cana, and you noticed that the servants were worried that the wine was running out.
You told them to do whatever Jesus would ask of them, and then he changed water into wine
in jars that the servants had filled to the brim: Mary, ask your Son to fill us with the Holy Spirit.

Mary, your love met Jesus, your Son, as he suffered on the cross: Mary, in your love,
support us as we carry our crosses in daily life.

Mary, you stayed with the friends of Jesus, waiting for the Holy Spirit to change their lives at Pentecost: Mary, wait with us
and our families and friends so that we, too, may receive all the promises of Jesus, your Son.

Amen

The above is an excerpt from Praying Each Day of the Year, a three-volume book by Nicholas Hutchinson, FSC.

Each year the College celebrates family and community with our Year 7s hosting Special Person's Day which is an opportunity for our newest and youngest students to show the special people in their lives where they will be spending their secondary school years.

The Year 7 students invited their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, godparents and other significant people in their lives to the College on Tuesday 7 May. Some of the Year 7s joined McAuley Prefect Liam Charles in presenting the Welcome to Country and College Prayer in Centennial Hall, followed by an address from the Principal, Mr Philip Morison.

Year 7s then took the opportunity to show their special people around the Mansfield Building, describing what happens in homerooms, where their lockers are and introducing them to their new friends. They also took tours through the Heritage Centre in the Mount St Joseph Building, with many of them Old Collegians and/or grandparents who sent their own children here. They reflected on what the College now offers the students, including the new VCE building under construction, and how proud they are that the family tradition of attending MLMC is continuing. They are thrilled to see the growth and changes here at the College. Others also visited the Chapel and the Technology building, taking a look at what the Year 9 students were cooking up in the kitchen or creating in textiles. Our guests also enjoyed a morning tea in McAuley Hall.

This is an important event on the College Calendar as it allows Year 7 students to show their new school to significant people in their lives. Having completed a term at the College, they now acknowledge the College as their school and feel a strong sense of connection and belonging to the MLMC community. It is also an opportunity for us to welcome members of their extended family to the College and into the broader MLMC community.

Here are some reflections from some Year 7 Green students:

We each brought people who were special to us — Megan brought her nan and Ella brought her dad. After our very special assembly we both took our special people on a tour around the school. Some options included exploring this interesting school and of course a cuppa and a biscuit at McAuley Hall, with the option of a milo for the students. One of Ella and her dad's favourite things about the whole day was exploring the Science and woodwork areas. They watched all the students designing and learning things. Ella’s dad even showed her a couple of the old places he used to hang out with his friends. One of Megan and her nan’s favourite things to do was the bus tour, which was led by one of our fantastic teachers at MLMC. We took a tour around the school and also had a look at the Year 7 area (and then stopped for a cuppa). It was a fantastic morning and everyone enjoyed every bit of it. — Megan Schelfhout and Ella Singer

I brought all four of my grandparents to school and we had a great time! It started with an assembly followed by a tour of the school and a cup of coffee or tea. My grandparents and I had a really great time. — Max Vukic

On Special Person’s Day I brought my nan and we attended an assembly explaining the joys we were about to share. After the assembly, my nan and I went on a little journey to get to McAuley Hall. There we had a coffee each and some biscuits as well. I took my nan on the big tour of the school, showing her basically all aspects of MLMC. Before we knew it, we came to the end. Special Person’s Day was amazing and I wish we could do it again. — Beau Wilson

Over 700 people attended our annual twilight open house event, Taste of MLMC, on Thursday 9 May, which gave prospective parents and students in Grades 4, 5 and 6 a wonderful opportunity to explore our school.

This year the Open Day and Taste of MLMC events were combined into one event with families able to do self-guided tours of the College or target a specific subject area that is of interest to their child. Each faculty offered a variety of activities — some were interactive and ran all night, while the featured activities ran at specific times to allow young students the opportunity to experience taking part in an actual class just like they would in Year 7.

Activities included a chemistry demonstration, making trick food (cakes that looked like hamburgers), fitness testing, origami, kahoot quizzes, Lego robots, word games, making wooden doorstops, catapaults out of icecream sticks and woollen pom poms, Italian bingo, making 3D shapes and designing the front cover of a magazine. The College band played music at Centennial Hall for people to enjoy, showcasing their talents and the wide range of opportunities open to students in the Music department.

A team of 100 students were on board throughout the night to help visitors with any queries they may have — the students were superb ambassadors for the College and made us very proud. A similar number of the enthusiastic and dedicated teachers were also on deck to engage our young visitors and to show our guests the hospitality that Mercy schools are famous for.

A survey for staff and parents has been sent out this week to help us make the 2020 event even bigger and better.

It may have been cold outside, but the atmosphere was warm and the cooked breakfasts were hot at the MLMC Old Collegians' Association's annual Business Breakfast on Tuesday 7 May. More than 60 guests connected with each other in McAuley Hall as they listened to two engaging guest speakers, Old Collegians Anna Baird and John Kehoe. Guests enjoyed a delicious breakfast cooked by the College’s talented Senior VCAL students of muffins and croissants, and a hot breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, spinach, hash browns, mushrooms and tomatoes, and great coffee made by our young baristas.

Anna Baird (Class of 1995) is the owner and director of Bared Footwear, a well-established footwear business employing 75 people which she has built from a single store in Toorak Village. Anna told those gathered about the many obstacles she has had to overcome to turn her passion for good shoes into a successful business, using her knowledge as a practising podiatrist. She offered business advice, including “stay positive”, “have great people in your team” and “look after your customers” but also that “learning to turn a setback into a success is the key to your business”.

John Kehoe (Class of 2000) was joined by his mother Marianne at the breakfast and told of his journey from MLMC to a degree in Economics and Politics at Monash University. He also spent two years working at the Federal Treasury in Canberra before joining the Australian Financial Review newspaper. He pursued his journalism dream while volunteering as a radio broadcaster, starting out by covering local footy in the Yarra Valley. He spent nearly five years covering US politics for the newspaper, including Donald Trump’s rise through the Republican primaries to become President by defeating Hilary Clinton. He is now “knee-deep” in this weekend’s Federal Election as a senior reporter for the Financial Review. “Whoever wins will be taking on the economy at a really important time,” he said.

Guests were also entertained by fellow Old Collegian Savanna Fanfulla (Class of 2014), who sang a humorous song Can we ring the bell? about the life of a school teacher.

Congratulations to everyone involved in hosting this important event and thank you to those in the community who came along.

VCAL students involved in the Business Breakfast were:
Head chef: Eddy Bourke
Front of House staff: Tanisha Anderson, Natalee Marchese, Emmy Croney, Kayla Tucker, Lily Hourn, Torrey Kelly
Baristas: Jade Commerford, Josh Graham, Chloe Baulch, Christelle Cartledge, Caitlyn Law
Floral decorations: Rosalie De Francesco

(1) Student Achievements

Baseball
Congratulations to Ryder Wilson (Year 7 Jade) (pictured) who was recently selected to represent the Eastern Athletics Baseball Charter at the Intermediate League State Championship in Geelong. His team progressed to the championship game, ultimately finishing state runners-up. It was enough for the team to progress to the 2019 Australian Intermediate League National Championships in June. Best wishes for this event, Ryder!

Karate
Congratulations to Stephen Cameron (Year 8 Red) (pictured in the gallery) who recently represented MLMC at the Australasian Schools Karate Championships in Sydney. Stephen won the gold medal for the Under-14 division, competing against students from around Australia and Oceania. He won all of his fights. Best wishes to Stephen for his next big competition — the Australian National Championships in August.

Equestrian
Congratulations to Lachie Nicholls (Year 9 Bronze), who will travel to China this week to represent Pony Club Australia. Lachie has been named as a team leader and will work with Chinese pony club members. We wish him the very best for this trip.

Umpiring
Well done to Blake Podesta (Year 9 Blue), who was recently selected from the Eastern Football League Umpiring Association to participate in an AFL umpiring coaching session and tour at Carlton’s home ground, Ikon Park.

Go Karting
Congratulations to Toby Waghorn (Year 9 Orange), who competed in the Victorian State Championships in April. Toby won all his heats and took away the title of Victorian Champion in his class. Keep up the great work, Toby!

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

(2) EISM Champions Athletics

With more than 50 students from MLMC competing at Albert Park on Monday 13 May, we were lucky to be involved in a brilliant EISM Champions Athletics Carnival. We witnessed athlete after athlete competing for the ultimate glory in a wide range of events throughout the evening. The Champions Carnival provides the opportunity for students to compete against the best of the best across all three EISM divisions and MLMC students returned with 12 medals between them.

Special mention to Cheyenne Moore (Year 9 Silver), who broke her own record in the Under-15 girls’ shot put with a distance of 11.95 metres.

MLMC Medallists:

• Jess Vukic — shot put silver (pictured in the gallery)
• Oscar Brown — shot put silver
• Brody Hull — 1500m silver
• Luke Phillips —high jump silver, shot put gold (pictured in the gallery)
• Jack O’Connell — shot put bronze
• Harry Van Duuren — 400m silver, 800m gold (pictured in the gallery)
• Cheyenne Moore — shot put gold (record)
• Ashton Dobbin — triple jump bronze
• Ben Heath —long jump bronze
• Max Benson — 800m silver

(3) EISM Results

Senior Results (8 May)

Year 8 Results (14 May)

Senior Results (15 May)

(4) EISM Reminders

With the Winter seasons of Year 8, 9 and Senior EISM sport all about to begin, 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 on time 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 and ‘Senior/Intermediate’ for Year 9 and Senior fixtures
• E = Eastern division (MLMC are in this section)

Year 11 Careers

On Thursday 2 May all of our Year 11 VCE students and the Year 12 VCAL students attended the VCE and Careers Expo at Caulfield Racecourse. It is Australia's biggest Education and Careers Expo and the students spent two hours with their peers and teachers looking at possible options for their future. There were many exhibitors there, providing information about universities (Victorian, national and international), TAFE and training courses, study advice, employment opportunities, apprenticeship and traineeship advice and international student exchange and gap-year programs.

Shelby Dewar (Year 11 White) writes about the experience:
MLMC students from Years 11 and 12 had the opportunity to get inspired about their careers at this year’s VCE and Careers Expo. The expo was massive, with three floors covering all topics around life after high school. There were representatives from all the universities and TAFEs as well as information on working or studying overseas, gap years and information on alternative career paths. There were also booths around volunteering and Schoolies Week. It had something for everyone. We had two hours to visit and connect with the booths that interested each of us. I really enjoyed visiting the local universities as well as the international institutions and gaining more information around a career in LOTE (Japanese). I also visited booths pertaining to the film and TV industry as this is another interest of mine. The opportunities are endless. One of the other highlights was receiving lots of freebies from all of the universities. I not only came home with a swag of information but goodies as well. Visiting the Careers Expo is a must for all students. It opens yours eyes to the possibilities in building your future after high school. We are really fortunate to live in a country where our education opportunities are great and our future years are bright. I was enlightened and inspired by what I am able to aspire to after VCE and I can’t wait to explore those possibilities. So, make sure you invest the small amount of time in going to career expos and/or university open days to find out more about creating your future. I know I am going to.

Year 10 Careers

On Friday 10 May, the Year 10 students had a Career Education incursion for periods 3-6. They did some testing with Career Tools, which tested them on their interests, skills and abilities and work values. This data will be used to assist the Careers practitioners in their meetings with the Year 10 students which will occur later in the term. It will also help the students with their subject selections. Students then received a presentation by Lissa, from the Fashionista Sistas. She spoke to the students about how to make a good first impression at a job interview or during Work Experience, how to present yourself in terms of 'what to wear' and 'what NOT to wear', and body language was also among the topics. The students also did their OH&S Industry Specific Modules for Work Experience. Work Experience Week is almost upon us, with students preparing to head out to work for a week from 24-28 June. If any students are yet to organise a placement they are encouraged to come to the Careers Office for assistance.

Each year the College's Student Representative Council (SRC) organises a World’s Greatest Shave fundraiser at MLMC, raising money for the Leukaemia Foundation. To raise money, students have the option of paying a minimum donation of $10 to have their head shaved (No. 2 buzz cut) or $5 to have their hair coloured on Friday 7 June. To be involved, students must first have permission from home. A permission slip will soon be placed on PAM for parents to respond to.

This year the SRC have been persuasive enough to have a ‘bounty’ placed on some teachers’ beards. The brave teachers (pictured below) will lose their beards if the following amounts are reached:

• Mr Kelly: $500
• Mr Hysted: $750
• Mr Rodgers: $1000
• AND MR MORISON: $2000.

Please support this wonderful fundraiser and help us reach the target of $2000 for the Leukaemia Foundation.

The 21 Year 9 students doing the Duke of Edinburgh Award this year (bronze level) had their first camp on 6 and 7 May, with the two-day hiking camp fulfilling the Adventurous Journey component of the program.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award aims to help young people discover a sense of adventure in a challenging and unfamiliar environment, with the group having an agreed purpose to travel to Murrindindi. The students challenged themselves and each other to hike with heavy packs on their backs, carrying all their belongings, food, water, tents, etc. Through determination and perseverance the students finished the hike and they were able to look at waterfalls and take in the sights of nature along the way, learning to appreciate the great outdoors.

The students also took part in planting trees to assist with erosion control and putting up possum boxes for the Upper Goulburn Landcare Group. Their work will help to establish a forest along the creek to create a healthier waterway and environment. The students describe the camp as a very rewarding experience and they are looking forward to their next adventurous journey at the Cathedral Ranges in September.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is an internationally-renowned program for young people, developing skills that have the potential to prepare them for life and work. The Award can play a major role in creating opportunities for young people to develop skills, get physically active, give service and experience adventure. Every participant has different goals, choosing activities they want to take part in for each of the four sections:

• Service: volunteering time to assist others or your community
• Physical Recreation: improving fitness and discovering new sports or active recreational activity
• Skills: undertake a new interest or hobby or extending on a current one
• Adventurous Journey: this is the only section required to be undertaken in a group. Undertaking a journey in an unfamiliar environment is about creating opportunities for team building through shared planning, role allocation, problem solving and accommodating physical and personality differences.

The first two rounds of the Debating Association of Victoria (DAV) interschool debating competition have seen some excellent results for our debating teams. The first round took place on Wednesday 27 March.

The topics for the first round were:
A Grade: 'That instead of being elected, members of parliament should be randomly selected'. Jamieson Manger, Beccy Snell and Caitlyn Crymble defeated Luther College.
C Grade: 'That police should carry tasers instead of guns'. Maddi Macpherson, Shae Preston and Emma Di Paolo lost to Yarra Valley Grammar.
D Grade: 'That we should ban horse racing'.

• MLMC 1 — Malindu Chandrasekara, Schemaiah Perera, Jasmine Ryan (pictured) lost to Yarra Valley Grammar School
• MLMC 2 — Liam Furey, Ellen Bradley, Maya Johannes defeated Ringwood Secondary College
• MLMC 3 — Kahlia Dewar, Ella McNair, Charlotte Lorbek defeated Emmaus College
• MLMC 4 — Emma Williamson, Baxter Lill, Millie Barker defeated Tintern College 4.

Congratulations to Beccy Snell, Liam Furey and Millie Barker who were all awarded Best Speaker in their respective debates.

Round 2 took place on Wednesday 8 May. This round had a political theme with some very challenging topics. The A Grade team had a forfeit. The Year 10 (C Grade) team of Shae Preston, Chelsea Emary and Ethan Prentice presented the affirmative case ‘That we should ban all political parties’ and narrowly defeated Yarra Valley Grammar by one point.

The D Grade teams had to debate the topic ‘That political parties should have quotas for female candidates’. The students did a fantastic job researching the topic and learning about the political process. We had three teams debating the affirmative and one team debating the negative.

Results:

• MLMC 1 Affirmative — Liam Furey, Maya Johannes, Ellen Bradley defeated Luther College
• MLMC 2 Affirmative — Danya Moerth, Schemaiah Perera, Ella McNair defeated Vermont Secondary College
• MLMC 3 Negative — Eloise Graves, Channel Fernando, Scott Colliver defeated Tintern Grammar
• MLMC 4 Affirmative — Marcus Blazincic, Kahlia Dewar, Charlotte Lorbek defeated Yarra Hills Secondary College.

All of our teams recorded wins on the night, which was an outstanding effort. Ellen Bradley, Danya Moerth, Eloise Graves, Kahlia Dewar and Charlotte Lorbek were all awarded Best Speaker in their respective debates.

Each year our senior students are given a rare insight into the career journeys of some of our most talented young alumni through an initiative called the Old Collegians’ Chats. On Tuesday morning, John Kehoe (Class of 2000) was guest speaker at our annual Business Breakfast and then also spoke to our Year 12 cohort about his journey since leaving MLMC.

The Old Collegians' Chats was established to give our current students an insight into the various career options available to them. Reconnecting with Old Collegians is a great way to achieve this, allowing our students to learn from those who have walked the same corridors and experienced life at MLMC. These alumni talks also inspire our students to be ambitous and aim high.

John spoke to the students about pursuing his passion and dream to be a journalist which became a reality when he as appointed a senior reporter with the Australian Financial Review (AFR) newspaper in Canberra. He studied Economics in Year 12 and told of his teacher, Mr Michael Johnston, bringing in copies of the AFR and other papers for the students to read, while a Year 12 Politics class trip to Canberra also “struck a chord”.

John’s drive has taken him from MLMC to a highly successful career in journalism with the 'Fin Review', including a five-year stint as US correspondent in Washington DC. He’s now based at Parliament House in the newspaper's bureau. John returned to Australia in August 2018 with his wife Jenny and their two daughters, aged five and three, having spent close to five years living in the United States where John covered the political rise of President Donald Trump and his defeat of Hilary Clinton in the 2016 US election. Last week he was interviewing Federal Treasurer John Frydenberg and his Labor counterpart Chris Bowen.

John had begun his life at MLMC in Year 7 White with Mr David Banfield his homeroom teacher and he had the nickname ‘Noodles’ “because I was skinny”. John spoke of the values instilled in him while at MLMC by teachers including Mr Johnston, the late Mark Prest and Kerrie West. “MLMC gave me an opportunity to achieve, professionally, socially and academically. My experience at Mount Lilydale has had an influence in where I have ended up in life.

“This school can certainly punch above its weight. It’s a good launching pad to go on to something you are passionate about in your life.”

He remembered that at the Year 12 Retreat teacher Mr Tim Newcomb spoke to the students and used a quote from former Australian Test cricket captain Steve Waugh. The quote “The pain of hard work is nothing like the pain of disappointment” was soon typed up and printed by John and stuck to his desk for inspiration during his Year 12 studies. “Follow your passion, follow what you’re good at and follow your dreams,” was his inspiring advice to our Year 12 students.

Students, staff, parents and everyone in the MLMC community are encouraged to support the initiative of Year 12 Jade throughout May. The students are running a raffle fundraiser for Catholic Care with a great prize on offer.

The students are slowly making their way to homerooms during Pastoral Care to sell tickets, having pooled their own money to come up with the prize — a $250 Westfield voucher. And it's all for a great cause. All funds raised will go to Catholic Care.

Every year, MLMC takes part in the awareness raising and fundraising for Catholic Care Family Week. In 2019, the theme of Family Week (15-21 May) is ‘Building Connections in the Spirit of Hope’.

The aim of Catholic Care is to offer hope and support to vulnerable families and families struggling to connect with one another. Your donations and involvement in Family Week will go towards educational support, refugee and asylum seeker support, family and relationship services, relationship courses and pastoral services.

These services are offered to the whole community, regardless of religious belief. Please give generously as you never know who your donations could affect.

The Year 12 VCE Theatre Studies students put on a great show when they performed the 2019 College Play, Picnic at Hanging Rock, at Centennial Hall on Friday 3 May. The class selected Tom Wright's adaptation of Joan Lindsey's classic Australian gothic thriller and spent nearly 10 weeks producing and rehearsing the show as part of their Unit 3 assessment.

The 2019 class put on a great production and we extend our congratulations to everyone involved in the play which showcased a wide variety of skills and talents from managing all aspects of stagecraft including direction, set design, costume, makeup, sound, lighting and props to the wonderful performances of the actors on stage. Well done to everyone involved.

Cast:
Charlton Pettigrew
Cerys Hudson
Meagan Farrugia
Grace Clinton
Georgia Berrie
Jacquelyn Voss

Crew:
Directors: Meagan Farrugia and Georgia McAleer
Makeup: Cerys Hudson and Jacquelyn Voss
Props: Grace Clinton and Charli Lilagan
Lighting and sound: Georgia Berrie and Charli Lilagan
Sets: Emily Zmegac, Danielle Whelan, Charlton Pettigrew
Costumes: Emily Zmegac, Danielle Whelan, Georgia McAleer

The Music department has had a very strong start to Term 2 with many performances already taking place and many more to follow. In the first week back, our College Choir was accompanied by Ms Caroline Dickason and Mr Gus Garces in performing at the Anzac Day dawn service in Lilydale (pictured). It was an extremely early start to the day for all involved and the Choir provided an exceptional performance on the day.

Two weeks later the College Choir, Stage Band and various Music students performed at the Taste of MLMC event. This proved to be a very long day for our students and Music tutors, but it gave our visitors a wonderful taste of what our Music department offers to students and their families — musical talent, dedication and tenacity.

Thursday 6 June will be a HUGE evening for the Music department as we are holding our mid-year Music Concert. We will be showcasing our College Choir, Concert Band, Junior and Senior A Capella ensembles, our guitar ensemble, Stage Band, violin ensemble and VCE and VET Music students, while numerous solo performers will also take to the stage. All MLMC families are welcome to come along to enjoy this free event and to support our Music students.

New woodwind tutor

We welcome our new woodwind tutor John Barber (pictured in the gallery) to the College. John began his Music career as a bandsman in the British armed forces and spent 12 years performing in Germany and other countries. The highlight was performing for the Queen, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and other leaders. Although John very much enjoyed travelling and performing, he wanted to begin teaching and decided to emigrate to Australia with his wife, Deb. As well as running his own woodwind business, John became the Bands Director at Aquinas College where he still teaches saxophone, clarinet and flute three days a week. John also enjoys performing for various theatre groups around Melbourne.

On Friday 3 May, Year 10 photography students visited Tarrawarra Art Gallery to view the current exhibition by acclaimed Australian indigenous artist, photographer and filmmaker Tracey Moffatt called ‘Body Remembers’. Moffatt’s series of very large ochre-coloured photographs explore her matrilineal history of domestic servitude and the broader experience of colonisation.

Students also viewed famous Australian paintings and drawings by artists such as Rick Amor, Joy Hester, Jeffery Smart, Russell Drysdale, Rosalie Gascoigne, Charles Blackman and others, engaging in discussion and exploring how artists present message and meaning within their works.

On Friday 3 May a group of Year 11 and 12 students went to Avila College in Mount Waverley for the day to hear guest speakers discuss the topic of ‘What is the spirit asking of you?’. The guest speakers were Fr Nicholas Pearce, Sr Maria Joy OP and renowned speaker Matt Fradd. There was also inspirational music from Gen Bryant and her band.

After the talks, we had time to reflect on our role in, and commitment to, the local and global church. Many students participated in dancing and singing, creating a joyful atmosphere. The speakers reminded us that it’s okay to ask questions about your faith.

Here are some student reflections of the experience:

I really appreciated the way Matt Fradd spoke about his conversion to Catholicism in a way that acknowledges a lot of the questions people, especially teenagers, ask. The way he presented himself and his journey really got me excited for my own faith journey. The way the students were speaking made me hopeful for the future and that more people would be coming back to the Catholic faith. This experience has made me more excited to come back to school and share my faith. — Melissa Mathews (Year 11 Green)

I was grateful to have the chance to go to this wonderful day of talks, music and meeting other people from different schools. I found out a lot about the Catholic faith and had the opportunity to reflect on my future. The music really helped create moments of prayer and reflection. It was great to be around other CSYMA students. — Emily Hoiles (Year 11 Gold)

Students in my Year 7 Mathematics class were prompted to find the mathematical story behind Cinderella via a problem solving exercise. Students were shown the beginnings of the movie Cinderella and given a problem solving book that manipulated all of the ideas behind the numbers (the current topic in our Mathematics class). They had to solve the problems and then use the answers to express them as part of their storybook, model, powerpoint or diorama. Each student had to present their work to the class, which promotes oral presentation skills and the ability to present data.

Year 7 Jade's Alannah Rudan (pictured) produced a diorama of the whole story to explain each section of the problem solving process. Creativity, working alongside her mum and grandfather, helped her achieve amazing results. Well done Alannah!

The aim of this class was to make the topic of Mathematics fun and engaging. STEM education is about creativity and ingenuity and this is what the students demonstrated in abundance in this class.

Parents and guardians reminded that applications for the 2019 Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) close on Friday 21 June 2019. The fund provides College fees assistance, with $225 available per student for eligible applicants.

Parents holding a current Health Care Card or Pension Card are eligible for a discount off their fees. If you applied for the CSEF at MLMC in 2018, you do not need to complete an application form in 2019 unless there has been a change in your family circumstances. The College will apply for the CSEF on your behalf.

To be eligible you must — as of the first day of either Term 1 (29 January 2019) or Term 2 (23 April 2019):

• Be a holder of a valid means-tested Centrelink Card or a temporary Foster Parent, or
• Be a student 16 years or older who holds a Youth Allowance Health Care Card
• Your child has started or changed schools in 2019 or did not apply at the same school in 2018
• Changed family circumstances (such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number) or new sibling commencing at the school in 2019.

If you have not already applied for the CSEF at the College in 2019, forms can be downloaded from our College website at www.mlmc.vic.edu.au and can be found under MLMC Parent News, Finance Information. Please contact Margaret Kirkwood on 9237 1315 for any assistance.

A signed copy of your valid Centrelink card (we can copy the card for you at the College) must be attached to the form to ensure your application can be processed.

Final applications close on Friday 21 June 2019. Late applications cannot be accepted. Funding will be applied to your College school fees.