Dear members of the Mount Lilydale Mercy College community,

Welcome to Reconciliation Week. In saying that, I must admit I ask myself what is the real purpose of having such a week. Why do I find myself wearing a reconciliation wristband? Me? The only jewellery I would wear is a watch? Why is reconciliation so important and why do I need to show an outward sign that I support it? Is it that such things have become popular, as highlighted by the Dreamtime AFL football match between Richmond and Essendon held since the 2005 season, or in fact the AFL’s Indigenous Round, which is designed to celebrate the indigenous players, culture and the spirit of reconciliation. Most football clubs have reconciliation programs. If the process of reconciliation is so important within our sporting culture, then surely this must be a reflection of the importance of reconciliation within our social culture. But, why?

A little bit of research through a site called Reconciliation Australia informs me that the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (CAR), formed 25 years ago, “has taken a holistic approach that encompasses rights, as well as so-called symbolic and practical actions. Over this time, reconciliation has introduced a greater focus on the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians and opened up a national debate on prejudice, discrimination and racism. It has raised broader questions about our national identity and the place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and rights in our nation’s story.”

It is reported that there are five dimensions of reconciliation:

• Race Relations: stronger relationships built on trust and respect
• Equality and Equity: a renewed focus on closing the gap, with equity in all areas of life, and self-determination
• Institutional Integrity: create a wider range of opportunities for indigenous Australians
• Unity: culture and heritage is shared as part of our national identity
• Historical Acceptance: acceptance and agreement about the wrongs of the past, which can never be repeated.

Simply put, reconciliation is about respect — respect for each and every individual who is made in the image and likeness of God. It is about respect for culture. It is about respect for people and it is about respect for history. It is now 10 years since then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, on 13 February 2008, on behalf of our nation apologised and acknowledged the pain and suffering caused by the mistreatment of Indigenous Australians over many decades.

National Sorry Day is an annual event that has been held in Australia on 26 May, beginning in 2008, to do exactly that. To say sorry and remember the ill treatment of our Indigenous Australians.

It is important that we all are a part of this process and teach our young people that respect of all cultures, including indigenous cultures, is important and very much a part of that Mercy concept of respect.

Within the College, Reconciliation Week has been celebrated in several ways. There have been lunchtime activities in the Youth Ministry Lounge, over the course of the week prayer cards in the form of hands have been written on and tied outside the Chapel, wristbands, in the colours of the Australian Aboriginal flag, have been made and distributed by Ministry students and a prayer service was conducted outside the Chapel on Friday.

As I think of my own heritage and culture, I would be deeply saddened if I was unable to celebrate it and pass it on to my children. Surely I can empathise with our Indigenous brothers and sisters who would want no less. May we, in Australia, come to celebrate and respect the traditions and culture of the peoples that have inhabited this land for centuries.

Last week, the College celebrated A Taste of MLMC, whereby families with children from Grades 4, 5 and 6 visited to participate in a range of activities initially centred around LOTE, Humanities, English and Technology. Given that large numbers registered for the event, the planning committee decided to double the number of activities and a total of 28 groups were rotated through. Although a bit crowded, the event was a huge success and I would like to thank all those who participated in any way.

We also remember those in our community who suffer the loss of loved ones, including Anny Van Duuren, a grandmother to Harry (Year 10) and Alex (Year 7). May Anny rest in peace.

God bless
Philip A Morison
Principal

As the weather begins to cool and the rigours of homework and assessment tasks begin to take hold, the topic of unnecessary absenteeism needs some discussion. There will always be occasions when a student should stay home to recover from an illness. In fact, on occasions the College has had to send students home, as rest and a visit to the doctor is the best remedy.

However, being sick is very different to not feeling like going to school. In this instance, unnecessary absenteeism means the times students say they don’t feel like going to school because … too often these reasons are little more than trying to avoid something at the College, be it friendship issues or falling behind in work or a scheduled assessment is due.

It is important to note that each absent day has an impact on skill development and social connections. It is also important to note that the number of days away from school quickly adds up. Missing one day of school every fortnight adds up to over a month of absenteeism over the full year. Allowing your child to avoid school unnecessarily allows for avoidance to become normalised and makes further absence easier. It’s alarming to think how much skill development would be missed through unnecessary absenteeism.

When faced with requests to stay home, it may be a good opportunity to talk about the importance of showing up to school every day, as it will become a good behaviour to establish to help ensure regular attendance when in part-time or full-time employment. What we teach our students about and at school goes well beyond the set curriculum.

To ensure your child can achieve 100% attendance, we ask that you try not to schedule hair, dental or medical appointments during school hours and arrange family holidays during scheduled school holidays.

If you are concerned about your child’s attitude about attendance, give their Year Level Leader a call for support or visit the Victorian State Government Webpage Factors affecting attendance

As we move beyond the halfway point of Term 2, the process of completing Semester 1 assessments should be a major thought for all students. Despite the colder weather and the usual cold and flu bugs, it is important that everyone understands there is work to be done and this is the No. 1 priority. Exams for Years 10 and 11 begin on Friday 15 June and for Year 9 on Monday 18 June.

The thought of exams and assessments can be a cause of anxiety in some students. Others simply take it in their stride and understand that it is just a normal part of school that goes some way towards preparing them for life beyond school. The coping mechanisms they develop are vital for the future and it comes back to resilience. A favourite quote on this topic is: "Resilience is a capacity that involves behaviours, thoughts, and actions that can be learned by and developed in anyone. Being resilient involves tapping into your resources, such as personal strengths and the support of family and friends.” At the end of the day, all we ask of any student is that they try their best and not give up.

It is necessary to remind students of the need to be vigilant when walking to and from school. Avoid walking alone and maintain an awareness of who is around you. Try to avoid the parkland around Lilydale football reserve, especially if you are leaving school late due to after-school activities. Do not approach a car if spoken to by someone in the car and always report any unusual behaviour to parents or the school. Try to make a mental note of details such a description of a person or a car.

In Term 3, a small number of exchange students will be joining our school community. For one of them, we are seeking a host family for the first six weeks of Term 3. The student is a 16-year-old girl from Italy who is fluent in English. If you are able to help out, please contact me at the College.

A reminder that Friday 22 June is a Correction/Reporting Day and, as such, it is a student-free day for all year levels. The College Office will be open on this day.

Term 2 concludes on Friday 29 June at 2.35pm due to the early arrival of contract buses.

June - the month of the Sacred Heart

Since the 16th Century, Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The devotion consists of the divine worship of the human heart of Christ, which is united with His divinity and is a symbol of His love for us. The aim of the devotion is to make our Lord king over our hearts by prompting them to return love to Him.

Prayer To Love As Jesus Loved

Heavenly Father, more and more I come to understand what the Lord Jesus meant when He said that He is one with the Father and prayed that His disciples may be one. I see that love is a precious union of heart and a sweet communion of spirit and just as the Father and Son emanate the same powerful love — so we, too, are to have that same beautiful love developing in us, by the power of the Spirit.

Lord, I pray that the body of Christ may become united as one, and abound in the unity of the spirit more and more, in love — not compromising truth but showing a genuine concern for one another. I pray that individually and collectively we may live Godly lives in Christ Jesus and seek to encourage and edify one another, seeking to be of the same mind and having the same Godly love for each another.

I pray that we may be united in spirit and in purpose, and that we do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit ... but, rather, with humility of mind regard the needs of the other as more important than our own. This I ask in the name of Jesus — who died for us all.

Amen

Fertiliser use in agriculture, although necessary for the production of healthy crops, can also be responsible for environmental pollution if not managed carefully. Year 11 Agriculture students have recently been modelling a trial on Urea use in wheat production.

The students, having set up multiple plots of wheat seeds, are trialling application of Urea fertiliser at varying rates. The students will examine the resulting dry matter that each trial plot produces to determine the best practice in nitrogen application. This is similar to research recently conducted by the Wheat CRCV (Cooperative Research Centre for Value), with results that found lowered rates of fertiliser application at an increased frequency dramatically lowered greenhouse gas production and increased crop production at the same time.

The students are keen to analyse their results as they will be put into practice immediately. As part of Agriculture, students are required to run a business. In Year 11, students must run a small nursery business, where budget inputs and outputs are carefully managed on a small scale. The information gathered from this trial will be put to immediate use, trying to improve their businesses and triple their bottom lines.

We were thrilled with the response to this year’s Taste of MLMC evening. A total of 950 people attended, with nearly 400 parents and 400 students enjoying the activities provided by the 150 staff and students. This is an unprecedented number and required some hasty last-minute modifications to our original plan to ensure that all were able to be accommodated.

For ease of movement and to save time, all activities were held in the Power Building (Year 8 and 9 buildings in the McAuley Campus) and the Technology building. Once parents and their student guides located the 28 activity rooms, all went smoothly. There were five rotations, each incorporating a Music or Technology component and other activities including Humanities, LOTE (Italian and Japanese) or cocurricular activities.

The visiting students were largely prospective Year 7s in 2019 and 2020, and numbers were evenly split between these groups. They were led around the various venues by our LEAP students (Years 7-9) and class captains or school leaders. All tour guides had brightly-coloured vests and all parents had a ticketing label which ensured that they went to the required locations.

We have received some really enthusiastic and positive responses from parents, via the survey, about the night and we will be processing these responses to guide us next year. Several points have become clear:

The night was huge in numbers and was a huge success. The student leaders did a great job in leading their groups to the various activities. Our student presenters — Emma de la Morinerie (French Exchange student), Rachel van der Linden, Brooke Johnson, Erin Jones, Ashley Clinton and Natalie Boxell (Drama students) and Natalee Marchese, Lily Hourn and Cameron Holland — were sensational.

Visitors appreciated the sausage sizzle provided by the staff at the start and the cup of tea or coffee from the Parents and Friends' Association, at the half-time break.

Presenters, students, guides and guests thoroughly enjoyed the night and we look forward to the next Taste of MLMC evening, which will focus more on Maths, Science and IT.

We would like to thank our guests who attended on the night and request that you please complete the short five-minute survey which was sent to you last week via email. This will help us in planning for events such as this in the future. We would also like to sincerely thank all of the staff and students who put in so much time and effort to make the event such a great success. We could not have done this without each and every one of you. Thank you.

Question: Who is the Church? Answer: WE ARE

This was a constant reminder throughout the Year 11 Retreat experience on Tuesday 29 May. There was a very strong message to our youth that they have a voice and should not be afraid to use it. Many examples were given of inspirational people who have used their skills and talents to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

The theme for the day was "Celebrate Youth: The Life You're Living" and we were fortunate to have Jesse Manibusan working with us. Jesse is an prominent international Catholic evangeliser of our times. His passion for young people and love of the Church brought a high-energy and engaging presentation with great music, story, ritual ... and a bit of fun!

Student reflections

Grace: I felt really happy all day. Had a seriously positive vibe that helped in forgetting life issues and navigating myself into my faith journey and to find Jesus in my life.

Hayley: Retreat was an amazing experience I was able to share with my friends and peers. Being able to sing along with Jesse, Alyssa and Daniel, have fun and celebrate our faith was something that will stay with me for life.

Dani: I thought it was a good day, being with friends and listening to what people were saying about their faith and the people that inspired them. Jesse was the best part of it, he was really funny and had the best stories about his life and his faith.

Year 9 Religious Education Reflection Day

There really is a growing pressure for young people to hurry through the stages of relationships. We live in a fast-paced world. Fast food? Takes too long these days. A web page that is taking more than five seconds to load. So frustrating! We are always looking for a faster, more efficient, quicker way of getting to where we want and need to get to. With this considered, it is no surprise that more and more young people are rushing through the important stages in a relationship (David and Katie Kobler from Your Choicez).

Year 9 students recently had the privilege of working with Your Choicez, an organisation that supports young men and women to make informed choices in this important, formative stage of their lives. This is what some of the students had to say:

Brianna: An informative day about choices we will face in our lives. This day taught us to make important choices ... to understand the consequences that could come with (our choices) depending on the decision. We learnt something important and significant.

Samantha: It was interesting, funny and relevant to everyone, in one way or another. I learnt a lot about objectification, relationships and even role models. We were given the opportunity to discuss it in smaller groups. I’m glad the school gives us this opportunity.

Connor: An enlightening experience. It allowed us to learn about how to craft and maintain healthy relationships. We discussed any queries or concerns we had at the end of the day. It was very informative.

Year 10 Religious Education Reflection Day

Setting out on 16 December 2006, Sam Clear walked 15,500km from the eastern-most point of Brazil, through South America, Central America and North America, across Siberia on theTrans-Siberian Railway and travelled on foot again from Moscow to the western-most point of Spain — all for the sake of Christian unity.

Sam recently spoke to the Year 10 students about engaging in life’s great passions, communication, choices and consequences and trusting, our own, others and God’s love for us. He certainly made a positive impact on the students. Here are some of the student reflections:

Tali: Inspiring. He persevered through all of the hardships that he has been through in his life. It makes me view the world and myself in a different way, a positive way, showing me that there is a possibility for anyone to try and make a difference. He made us all think about what we could achieve.

Amie: This was one of the best reflection/seminar days that we have ever had at this school, an incredible story. He was brave enough to share some of his deepest feelings and experiences, as well as his most monumental accomplishments. It was immensely inspiring listening to all the hardships he has had to endure over his lifetime and how he has overcome them.

Maddie: I really enjoyed the presentation. It was very genuine, and I liked that he was honest about the struggles he faced, in particular his struggle with his faith and trusting God. He gave practical advice.

Harrison: A very inspiring person. Yesterday really made me think of how I can make a change in the world ... helping my brother with his homework or creating international awareness of a particular issue.

On Friday 25 May, Year 9 Fabulous Fashion students hosted a fashion parade. They invited guests to see the wonderful array of unique sweaters they had created. It was amazing to see the different variations students had created from one pattern. Some added a lined hood, some added stripes to their sleeves, one made a sweater dress, there were drawstrings inserted via button holes, pockets added, thumb holes sewn into the sleeves, ribbing, and some cut off the waistline to achieve a more "edgy" look. Well done students!!

Mid-Year Music Concert - Invitation

Have you ever wondered how our Instrumental Music students spend their time in private lessons and ensemble rehearsals? We cordially invite you to come along to the Music department's mid-year Music Concert on Thursday 7 June. The concert will be held in Centennial Hall from 7.30pm. All are welcome to join us in watching our very talented Music students perform live on stage. Hope to see you there! For further information, please contact Mrs Sharon Flint via email to sflint@mlmc.vic.edu.au

Instrumental Music - Invitation

Our Instrumental Music tutors at MLMC are offering two free lessons of your choice in brass, drums, piano, singing and violin. This offer is open to ANY student who is interested in getting a taste of the Music world. If you have always wondered what it might be like to have Instrumental Music lesson at the College, now is your chance to try before you buy. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to continue. If you are interested in this amazing offer, please contact Mrs Sharon Flint in the Music office via email to sflint@mlmc.vic.edu.au ASAP. These lessons will begin in Term 2.

"Old Collegians’ Chats” is an initiative by the College's Old Collegians' Association where we arrange past students to come back and speak about their careers and life experiences after MLMC. The program is designed for Year 11 students, to not only inspire them but to also give them insight into various career paths and the challenges they may experience along the way. Although our guest speakers have modestly shared their successes, they have also generously shared their vulnerabilities and the setbacks they encountered. Drawing on our theme “a setback, is a set-up for comeback”, the program provides role models who demonstrate resilience and encourage the students to have a go. More often than not, it’s the fumbles along the way that propel us forward. So far we have had many past students coming in to speak, including doctors, nurses, a veterinarian, an opera director, a park ranger, a lawyer, a barrister, a social worker, an orthotic and prosthetic technician, a filmmaker, a senior politician and the local mayor. We would love more Old Collegians to become involved in this program.

Sean Toohey graduated from the College in 1996. He worked in the Victoria Police force, where he climbed the ranks to become a homicide squad detective and later a Sergeant. Having a young family, Sean decided to give away the force to spend more of his time with his family. In 2016, he became the SANFL’s integrity officer and recently he returned to home to take up the role of Eastern Ranges Talent Manager in the TAC Cup football competition. Having played for Eastern Ranges, Sean is keen to help other young players strive for excellence.

The students reacted well to Sean, with many of them asking questions about his job in the police force and his motivations to change career directions. It was a real privilege to have Sean back at the College, relaying some really potent insights on life, career and his time at the College. Thanks Sean!

MLMC families are being asked to host our Japanese Language Assistant, from Term 3 through to April next year. This is a great opportunity for both students and your family to gain cultural experience in the home.

The 22-year-old woman from Nagoya, Japan, went to New Zealand as a high school student and it was there that she realised that she wanted to learn more about the Japanese language and went on to study Japanese at university. She recently went to Thailand to teach Japanese to foreign students and looks forward to teaching Australians about Japan.

A family will need to provide a room (which can be shared with the same gender), three meals a day and transport to and from school. The duration of the hosting period is negotiable, however it is appreciated if families can host for at least one month.

For details, contact Ms Natasha McKenzie via email to nmckenzie@mlmc.vic.edu.au

(NB: The picture above was taken at earlier this year at the Japanese Festival held in Federation Square which was attended by many of our LOTE students and their families)

The VET Certificate III in Music at MLMC offers students an avenue for developing skills that are necessary to engage successfully in the music industry. Our VET Music program was re-implemented this year in partnership with Collarts (Australian College of the Arts), which provides high-quality nationally-recognised VET Music qualification.

On Wednesday 23 May, the College's VET Music students visited Collarts in South Melbourne. During the day, the students participated in a number of workshops including recording and performing. Working with industry professionals, the workshop gave the students insight into the processes that working musicians, sound engineers and tutors use to establish themselves within the highly-competitive music industry.

Supporting teens and young adults to navigate the difficult world of dating, sexuality and relationships is a tough ask, but throwing ASD (autism spectrum disorder) into the mix can often magnify the challenge.

Parents and carers of those with ASD are invited to join a dinner at Club Kilsyth on Wednesday 18 July, from 6.00pm to 9.00pm, to learn some strategies to help build communication, provide guidance and encourage good choices. Vanessa Thomas from Family Planning Victoria will be guest speaker. Cost is $15 per person (including dinner).

Book online by visiting bit.ly/ASDDinner. For more information contact Interchange Outer East on 9758 5522 or email ioe@ioe.org.au

Mount Lilydale Mercy College Old Collegians' Association Business Breakfast

We are excited to announce the return of our Business Breakfast! Come and be inspired by our guest speakers Laura Turner (award-winning journalist, drug reform advocate and Old Collegian) and John Goodfellow OAM (Former Principal of the College). Please see below for further details on each of our wonderful speakers. For the first time, the breakfast will be held at the College, hosted and catered by the College VCAL students.

• Date: Tuesday June 19
• Time: 7.00am
• Venue: Mount Lilydale Mercy College (McAuley Hall)
• Cost: $35 per person
• RSPV: Friday 8 June
• Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/VIOM

We hope you are able to join us. In the meantime, if you would like to join our Business Registry, please register here or you can call Lucia Tabacchiera on 03 9735 4022.

Laura Turner
In 2001, Laura Turner graduated from the College, going on to study Journalism at RMIT University. Laura worked for WIN Television and TV3 in New Zealand and received a Rural Press Club Award and Quill Award for her journalism. Laura joined Nine Network Australia and travelled the globe reporting on many big stories including the shooting down of flight MH17, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and the disappearance of flight MH370. She became Nine’s US correspondent, reporting on the mass shooting in Orlando, the San Bernadino terrorist attack and the United States Presidential Election campaign. Laura now works on Channel Nine’s A Current Affair and has campaigned for drug reform, while showing enormous courage in sharing her own personal loss since the passing of her sister. Laura’s professionalism, compassion and determination to strive for social justice demonstrates to our students how they can go on to create positive change. In 2017 Laura was inducted into the MLMC Old Collegians' Mercy Honour Roll.We are thrilled to have Laura back at the College again.

John Goodfellow
John Goodfellow OAM was the Principal of MLMC from 1990 to 1995. Appointed the first lay Principal of the College, John has been described as a hugely enthusiastic and energetic leader who empowered staff and allowed them to flourish. In 1996, he became the founding Principal and a longstanding Director of Kardinia International College near Geelong. He retired as Principal at Kardinia College in 2015, having grown student numbers from 26 in 1996 to 1900 at the time of his retirement. He was Principal of four Colleges over a 29-year period, taking his first Principal post at the age of 26. He was also a senior lecturer at Catholic University, Canberra, and Edith Cowen University, WA. He received his Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours of 2013 for his service to education. He remains very passionate about human values and the important outcomes of education. We look forward to welcoming him back to the College.

Year 8 Results 22 May

Senior Results 23 May

Year 9 Results 24 May

Year 8 Results 29 May

Senior Results 30 May

• Boys Volleyball- BYE

Cross Country Training
Its that time of year again!! With only one more sporting carnival left for the year, it would be great if we could get as many students as possible participating in Cross Country training.

• Cross Country training begins the 4th of June.
• Cross Country training days and times are the following
• Monday’s 3:30-4:30
• Wednesday’s 7:00-8:00 am

For any details regarding Cross Country Training and the Cross Country Carnival, please contact Miss Webb.

EISM Weekly Sport Reminders
With the winter seasons of Year 8, 9 and Senior EISM Sport all now either under way or about to begin, please remember the following:

• Check the Sport plans - up on the Doyle Centre window at the beginning of every weekIf 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 hockeyNO CORRECT UNIFORM, NO GAME
• Late returns: 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”).