Mercy Regional College eNewsletter

Prayer

Prayer for Remembrance Day

Loving and compassionate God,
we pray for all who have laboured for liberty, freedom and justice;
for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice;
for those who in life and death have preserved our living.
Grant that they may rest in your peace, and that we,
through our actions, may be found worthy to
inherit the eternal treasures of your kingdom.
Amen.

Principal's Message

Welcome to November! November is the final month of Spring in our Southern Hemisphere and in the Gariwerd calendar the transition from Petyan to Ballambar - early summer and the season of butterflies. It has been wonderful to feel the warmth of summer finally breaking through especially for our extra long weekend.

It has been exciting to finally witness the demolition and preparation works for our refurbishment at our O’Keeffe campus. Please see the photographs below to see what has occurred over the last weeks with builders Spence Construction leading the way.

In student news we congratulate one of our Year 7 ASX Sharemarket Game syndicates who grew their share portfolio value to finish first in Victoria and third nationally. An amazing achievement! Well done to Ollie W, Cooper D, Eamon S and Bayden W.

Congratulations also to Tyra S and Matilda R who competed in the Warrnambool Intermediate Preliminary Dressage competition. Both girls have qualified for the State Championships in 2024 at Werribee.

In our Catholic Christian tradition, November is a month dedicated to reflection and remembrance. We recognised All Saints' Day on November 1 where we pray for those canonised or not who have led lives of virtue setting an example for all Christians, followed by All Souls' Day on November 2 where we take time to remember and pray for those in our lives who have passed away that they will be with God in eternal life. This week we will unite to honour the individuals who have bravely served and made sacrifices serving their country by observing Remembrance Day. An explanation of Remembrance Day is provided below from The Australian Army website:

On the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, a minute’s silence is observed and dedicated to those soldiers who died fighting to protect the nation. At 11am on 11 November 1918, the guns on the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare. The Germans called for an armistice (suspension of fighting) in order to secure a peace settlement. They accepted the allied terms of unconditional surrender. The conflict had mobilised over 70 million people, left between 9 and 13 million dead, and as many as one third of these with no grave. The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month attained a special significance in the post-war years. It became universally associated with the remembrance of those who had died in the war. Originally known as Armistice Day, it was renamed Remembrance Day after World War Two to commemorate those who were killed in both World Wars. Today the loss of Australian lives from all wars and conflicts is commemorated on Remembrance Day.

We will remember them. Lest we forget.

In the coming weeks we will be offering to our young people currently in Year 9, 10 and 11 the opportunity to take part in our renowned Mercy Regional College Battlefields Tour to France, Belgium and London. This experience will take place during the September term break and first week of Term 4, 2024. This is an optional experience that is proudly unique to MRC and something we have been unable to offer since 2018. Stay tuned for more details.

Our uniform supplier Noone has informed us that the material used to make our MRC jacket is no longer available. As such we have a revised MRC jacket that will be able to be purchased through the uniform shop either in person or online. It is a soft shell jacket that is weather resistant and compliments our current uniform offerings. Students will still be able to wear their old jackets until they wear out!

We welcome our 2024 Year 7 students and families for their welcome and information evening on Monday 13 November at 6.30 pm in the library at our McAuley campus. This evening will be held in person and provides the opportunity for our new Year students and families with lots of opportunity for questions and answers. We will film this evening and make the presentation available to families after the event.

Our school calendar continues to communicate the many important events and occasions that we have coming up. Please check this to ensure you are well informed. The VCAA Unit 3/4 exams continue for our MRC students through until November 15 with our Graduation Dinner then on Friday 17 November. VCE Unit 2 internal exams and Year 9 and 10 exams all commence next week. Our Year 9 students head to Melbourne on camp from Wednesday 15 to Friday 17 November.

This week has seen an additional interest rate rise set by the Reserve Bank. I am very conscious that this rise may place additional financial pressures on families to meet their cost of living. Please know that we are able to and will support families for whom this additional financial requirement and current economic climate may mean that family fee contributions are currently out of reach. Please do not hesitate to make contact with either myself or Business Manager Jude Murfitt should assistance be of help to your family. This applies to all current and prospective families and will always be kept confidential.

Finally, earlier this year we called on members of our College community to nominate former students of the College who exemplify Mercy values and will provide inspiring examples of achievement and service to current and future Mercy Regional College students. I congratulate those who have been successful:

Spirit of Mercy Award
Jocelyn Bignold (OAM)
Rose Henry
Josh Hose (OAM)
Greg O’Shea
Mark O’Shea
Prof. Michael Ryan

Young Spirit of Mercy Award
Ella Gleeson

We look forward to their induction at our MRC Jubilee dinner on the evening of 25 November!

Tickets are still available for the dinner here.

We will also draw our Annual MRC Car Raffle at this event.

With kindness,
Sharon Gillett - Principal

The Car Raffle Draw is coming up fast!

10 fantastic prizes to be won!

Tickets available from https://shop.mercy.vic.edu.au/ as well as the MRC office, or many local shops and events.

Car Raffle Stall volunteer form: https://bit.ly/2023-MRC-raffle-stall

Learning at MRC

Middle School Exams Update

Middle School students are busily working towards their end of Semester Examinations, which will take place throughout Week 7. A timetable for the Year 9s and 10s can be found below. The purpose of exams in middle school is not only to assess student learning in core subjects, but also to allow students to experience the process of sitting formal exams, to manage nerves, and to develop appropriate study techniques. Students have been made aware of the alternate timetable for Week 7, and will be preparing in class for the exams. We wish all students the best for their exams.

Mrs Lydia Darcy - Year 7 -10 Learning Leader

Myth Busting - Learning Styles

In the coming weeks I want to start sharing with families some of the research that is emerging from The Science of Learning. For a long time, education and what works in schools wasn’t grounded in the scientific method or based on how we now know the brain works (neuroscience). This has led to many myths and misconceptions around how young people learn and what motivates them to learn.

This week I want to discuss the idea of ‘learning styles’.

New research reveals that the widespread belief in learning styles not only influences how parents and teachers perceive students' intelligence but also has broader consequences. This myth is based on the notion that students possess a dominant way of learning, often categorized into visual, auditory, or kinesthetic/tactile styles. However, it's important to note that there is no substantial scientific evidence to support this idea.

The study found that students labelled as 'visual learners' were perceived as more intelligent than those labelled as 'hands-on learners' by parents, teachers, and even the students themselves. This perception extended to expectations of academic performance, with visual learners expected to achieve higher grades in core subjects like maths, humanities, and languages. In contrast, hands-on learners were seen as more skilled in non-core subjects such as physical education, music, and art, though both groups were considered equally proficient in science.

The implications of these findings are significant. They suggest that the belief in learning styles can lead to unwarranted assumptions about students' academic strengths and weaknesses. This not only affects educational preferences and engagement in science during childhood but also influences students' perceptions of their peers in the classroom. As individuals grow into adulthood, these early beliefs can contribute to stereotypes related to brilliance, particularly in fields like science, and even lead to experiences of imposter syndrome.

Furthermore, parents' beliefs about their child's mathematical abilities have been found to be related to their child's maths achievement. Similarly, educators' beliefs about whether intelligence is fixed at birth can impact their students' achievements, particularly among stigmatized groups. This underscores the importance of dispelling the learning styles myth and promoting evidence-based educational practices.

Despite decades of research debunking the learning styles myth, many educators continue to support it, with 37% still adhering to it, even when shown the lack of scientific evidence behind it. Even personal experiences and anecdotal evidence seem to outweigh the research findings in some cases. This highlights the need for further education and awareness among educators, parents, and peers to move away from perpetuating this unscientific concept and embrace evidence-based teaching methods. Here at Mercy we are looking to the evidence to determine what works best.

Ms Natalie Stephenson - Deputy Principal, Learning, Teaching and Innovation

Senior School

Unit 2 Examinations

Our Unit 2 students are continuing to complete their school based assessment tasks as well as revising for their upcoming Unit 2 Examinations. These examinations will be held on Tuesday 14th through to Thursday 16th November for all our Unit 2 students. A copy of the Unit 2 Timetable can be assessed through the following link.

Unit 2 Examination Timetable 2023

Units 1 and 3 2024 Classes Starting

Unit 3 English, Literacy and Literature will begin on Monday 20th November, with the remaining subjects for Unit 3 and Internal VET subjects starting on Tuesday 21st. It is a requirement for all students to attend. These classes will cease on Friday 1st December, with our Mass of Thanksgiving and Awards Ceremony. Unit 1 English and Literacy will begin on Monday 27th November with all remaining Unit 1 classes and internal VET classes beginning on Tuesday 28th November and continuing through until Tuesday 5th December. A timetable for Unit 3 classes can be assessed through the following link

Unit 3 2024 Classes Timetable

Unit 1 classes timetable for 2024 will be released in the next newsletter.

VCAA Examinations

The VCAA End of Year Examinations have commenced and will conclude on Monday 13th November. Students are required to wear their school uniform to these examinations. These examinations are held at the Camperdown College Hall. It is recommended students arrive 15 minutes prior to the start time of their examination. Seating plans have been emailed to students, there is also a copy of these plans in the foyer of the hall. Year 11 students who are sitting these examinations do not need to attend formal classes on the day of their examination.

Students who are unwell before or during their examinations need to contact Mrs Rose Henry, Mr Jeremy Baker or Mrs Danae Fraser. Advice will be provided on the process of applying for a Derived Examination Score (DES). The Derived Examination Score process is an application and is set out by the VCAA. This process does require medical support and there are specific dates and evidence required. There is further information in the VCE Exams Navigator 2023 provided to all students.

We wish all of our Unit 3 and 4 students the best of luck during this examination period.

Students can attend school to complete revision in the library or access their teachers. Students are required to sign in and out at reception if they attend onsite.

Mrs Danae Fraser - Senior Pathways Leader

PEAK Project - Women Innovation Workshop

On Friday the 27th of October, I held a ‘Women Innovation Workshop’ for girls who wanted to attend in years 7, 8 and 9. I thought of the topic ‘Women Innovation’ because I wanted to do something that would inspire and benefit others. Not only that, but I wanted to improve some of my skills such as public speaking because I’m not a very confident person in front of a crowd and also planning an actual event and learning the process of what happens behind the scenes.

I went through a couple of ideas before landing on this one. I wanted to put on a workshop for teen girls to help them expand their options of jobs for the future because there are hundreds of jobs out there, all you have to do is explore them.

With the help of my teachers and parents, I went and researched inspirational women who work in our community in different male dominant jobs.

The first speaker of the day was Tammi Logan, who co-owns Farmgate Stockfeeds in Ecklin South. Tammi talked about the women who worked at her business and what roles they do.

After Tammi was Steph Pemberton who works on the Corangamite Shire in ‘Grounds and Maintenance.’ Steph spoke about her journey of how she got to where she is today.

Penny Smith who is the World 1 Female Clay Target Shooter was the third lady to speak. Penny enlightened the girls about the highs and lows of being an athlete.

Lastly was Georgie Gretton who is a Lieutenant in the Camperdown fire brigade. Georgie told the audience how she joined the firebridge at a young age and how she balances being a mum, a paramedic and a Lieutenant.

I would like to thank all who helped me set the day up (Jo, Jenni, Shane, Troy) and to my teachers; Mr Iving, Mr Woodmason and especially Mrs Stephens. And a huge thank you to all the girls who turned up, I am extremely grateful.

- Amelia P

French tongue twisters

Amaya K, Tilda M and Tess M from 8A delivered this fun presentation of three tricky French tongue twisters. They practised hard to learn how to say:Le ver vert va vers le verre vert.Si mon tonton tond ton tonton, ton tonton sera tondu.Cinq chiens chassent six chats.Well done, Amaya, Tilda and Tess!

Australian Securities Exchange Schools Sharemarket Game

If you had a spare $50,000 would you consider investing it on the stockmarket?

We don’t all have a spare $50,000 to play with so the ‘Australian Securities Exchange’ offers school students the opportunity to invest a hypothetical $50,000 on the schools sharemarket game, in the hope of making big hypothetical bucks.

Ollie W, Eamon S, Cooper D and Bayden W turn their $50,000 into $59,202.04 placing them 3rd outright and 1st in Victoria and winning them a prize pool of $800. When you consider that there are 17,412 syndicates in the game this is an outstanding achievement.

The boys' strategy for success was:

"Initially we spoke to adults and discussed what was going on in the world at the moment that might affect the sharemarket. We decided that it would be a good idea to invest in industries such as energy and fuel. Fuel prices were going up and being impacted by fuel shortages. There is a lot of media attention on energy and a big push for sustainable/renewable energy sources.

We also purchased shares in JB HiFi and ASX, however they were not doing anything major so we sold those shares in order to reinvest in more profitable companies.

Another strategy was to invest in Penny stocks in the hope that they would rise in value. Dividends also played a part in our selection of stocks.

Armed with all the information we investigated shares meeting our requirements and made our final selection.

The shares were purchased when they were low in value. As funds became available we purchased more.

The Sharemarket game was really exciting particularly when we were fighting for third place in the final days of the game. We were constantly refreshing our page to see if our stocks had increased in value.

At the start of the game we knew very little about how the share market works and investing. Now we have more knowledge about how to invest wisely and the risks associated with investing on the ASX.

We are excited for next year and hope to be the overall winners.

It was a great experience."

Good luck in next year's game boys.

Leanne Delahunty - Mathematics Domain Leader

Year 10 Mock Interviews

Year 10 students participated in Mock Interviews earlier today as the final part of their Work Preparation Program.

We sincerely thank the various community representatives and staff who gave their time to contribute to this valuable program!

Sport Report

GWR Junior Basketball

Following on from their dominant display at the HSSSD level, it was time for the year 7 junior boys basketball team to take their talents to Ballarat to compete once again, this time at Greater Western Region level.

On Tuesday 31st October, the junior boys travelled down to Ballarat to play. Mercy were placed in pool A along with two other schools, these schools were their two opponents for the day - Ballarat High School and Horsham College. The boys were up for the challenge and eager to do their best in hopes of progressing to the state level.

Game 1 vs Ballarat High

Game 2 vs Horsham College

Although the results didn’t go the team's way, the boys still tried very hard and not once did they drop their heads. The games were played in great spirits, displaying great sportsmanship and were all great teammates. I’m sure they will be back even stronger next year as there are a lot of great young players in the team.

Well done to all involved on the day, and a big thanks goes to coaches Mr Woodmason, Isaac McVilly and Shane Scanlon.

The Year 8 Girls Team played well, winning one game and losing one in their pool.

They then played off for 3rd or 4th position, coming 3rd in the end.

Some great sporstmanship and teamwork was on display and everyone should be very proud of their efforts!

Thank you to everyone who supported students on the day.

Community & Wellbeing at MRC

Craft Club

Students gathered at lunch last Wednesday for our first Craft Club. Students engaged in all types of creative pursuits, including: colouring, water colours, origami, macrame, and some were learning to crochet.

It is great to offer a space for students (or staff) to gather and chat over shared interests.

Craft club is voluntary, and very relaxed, for anyone who wishes to have some quiet time engaging in any small hand craft. It is running every Wednesday Lunchtime until the end of the year.

We thank local business, Laffs Camperdown, for the donation of some yarn to help get the students started.

- Mrs Melanie Bourchier

Faith at MRC

Caritas Australia’s Gaza Crisis Appeal

An estimated 1 million people have been displaced in Gaza with immediate food, shelter, health, and psychosocial needs. This is a period of incredible turmoil and sadness. The escalation of violence has only exacerbated needs for the people in Gaza and West Bank, who already live in dire conditions.

We are working with our partners on the ground to provide comprehensive and critical support to over 17,000 families affected by this devastating conflict.’

With your support, we will be able to help our partners on the ground to assist people displaced and affected by the current conflict.

Please donate to Caritas Australia’s Gaza Crisis Appeal.

You can donate online www.caritas.org.au/gaza or phone 1800 024 413

Caritas Australia Gaza Appeal

St Vinnies Christmas Appeal

Our school community has been involved in giving to Vinnies at Christmas time for a long time and in 2023 we are once again involved in spreading a little bit of Christmas cheer to those in need. This is such a wonderful part of our school’s commitment to the communities in our region.

Each homeroom group from Year 7-11 and staff as well, have been tasked with buying a small gift or two for some people who are in need. Students will have been told who they are buying for by their Mercy teacher. Students are asked to bring along either some money or a small gift to contribute to this. The gifts will then be wrapped and delivered to our local St Vinnie’s as part of our Thanksgiving Mass on Friday 1st of December.

Careers News

In Careers News this week:

ALL STUDENTS

Exciting programs – Young Endeavour, UK & US academic tours, RISE Global Leaders.
Focus on employment for summer jobs
Built environments careers – be a future city builder
Cool jobs – early childhood education and aviation protection officer.
Summer schools – career programs during the Christmas break
Upcoming career events
Focus on TAFE courses

YEAR 11 STUDENTS

Cyber security scholarship

YEAR 12 STUDENTS

Employment opportunities in finance and agriculture
Key tertiary dates
Scholarships
Early entry programs

Career News 3 November 2023.pdf

Library News

The big summer read!

The summer school holidays are a time for students to enjoy a break away from school and indulge in a less structured, relaxed lifestyle with family and friends.

While this is vitally important to their overall development and mental wellbeing, research has shown that students can actually lose some of the literacy skills they gained during the year and start the next year at a disadvantage. It is called the Summer Slide and it is seen all around the world. It is estimated on average as the equivalent of two to three months of reading proficiency. The answer to slowing this ‘slide’ is simple, and it does not involve more school work over summer. We just need to keep reading. Summer is the perfect time for young people to indulge in books and stories and read for pleasure. This is where Victoria’s public libraries can help.

Victorian public libraries are addressing this problem with The Big Summer Read Challenge,

which runs from Friday 1 December 2023 to Wednesday 31 January 2024. The aim of the challenge is for participants to read and log as many books as they can over Summer.

School students of all ages can join in by following these four simple steps:

Register in person at your local library or register online here:https://plv.beanstack.org/reader365
Download the free Beanstack App here:
Download (App Store)
Download (Google Play)
Join the challenge on the Beanstack App
Complete the challenges and become eligible to win some great prizes!

The Beanstack App: Motivating reading

Like the Big Summer Read program, Mercy Regional College will also be using the Beanstack app in 2024 in the wider reading program. The ‘gamification’ and engagement features of the Beanstack app strengthens students' intrinsic motivation to read and improve students' reading skills. Gamification features like badges, reading streaks, achievements, friends, and leaderboards motivate all types of readers and learners.

MRC Book Club

This Term the MRC Book Club will be discussing A Room Made of Leaves by Kate Grenville.

Everyone is welcome. You can register to attend this free event here

Please join us at the Terang Commercial Hotel at 6:30pm on Wednesday 6 December for discussion, drinks and nibbles in a relaxed social atmosphere.

Jean Christie - Library & Resource Centre Coordinator

Child Safety

Mercy Regional College is a child-safe community.

Child Safety Officers:

Contact them by email or on:
Phone - 55932011 (McAuley Campus) or 55925353 (O’Keeffe Campus)

50th Jubilee Celebrations

Book: A Special Spirit: a History of Mercy Regional College 1973-2023

Book order link

Show your Mercy Spirit! Jubilee Merchandise

You can also show your Mercy spirit and support the College with a range of 50th anniversary memorabilia including, anniversary roses, wine, and tea towels (see descriptions below).
Please order your Jubilee merchandise here:

Merchandise pre-order link

The Colours of Mercy Anniversary Rose

As part of the Mercy Regional College 50th anniversary celebrations, the College will make available a special anniversary rose in the MRC colours.

If you’re looking for a rose with a ‘wow’ factor, this is it! This Rosa floribunda has glossy thick mid-green foliage - a stunning multi-coloured rose in bush form that produces huge clusters of yellow flowers that change to pink and red on maturity. To add to the enchantment, every petal is unique.

The beautiful flowers on this plant produce a lovely mild fragrance. This rose is disease resistant and all round strong. Ideal for garden beds or borders along the driveway.

We are now taking pre-orders so that you won’t miss out on this rose, which will be made available closer to and on the special weekend of celebration in November 2023.

Cost $37.00

Tea towels with spirit!

Available in two designs, these locally-sourced tea towels are both beautiful and useful. Super soft and absorbent, they are made from 180gsm cotton twill. There are two designs to choose from, both featuring the 50th Anniversary logo, which incorporates both the Catholic Regional College and Mercy Regional College emblems.

Cost: $15 each

Anniversary Wine

Orders are NOW OPEN. 18+ only.

The College has partnered with Bellarine Estate to produce two anniversary wines, a crisp Chardonnay and a complex Shiraz. (Collect from College or purchase on the Jubilee Day)

Cost $20 each.

Jubilee Day

We would love our past students, families and staff to join us in this celebration on Saturday 25 November from 11:30 to 3:30 in Camperdown. School tours, roll calls and displays for each decade, food trucks and music, tree planting, free family portraits, afternoon tea and more.

Register for this free event here:

Jubilee Day Tickets link

Jubilee Dinner

On Saturday evening (25 November) we will gather for dinner and the presentation of the inaugural Spirit of Mercy Awards, and the Annual Car Raffle. Then you are invited to kick up your heels to the lively music of The People’s Poets. Drinks at bar prices.

Tickets can be purchased here:

Jubilee Dinner Tickets link