MRC Newsletter - Issue 12 - 18 August 2021

Prayer

Principal's Message

Welcome back and thank you are two expressions we are using frequently this term!  We use them with all sincerity.  We treasure every minute that we have onsite to learn and have gratitude for the application to learning shown by our young people, for the dedicated and creative work of our teachers, for the support of our Mercy education support staff keeping the school running and for parents, carers and families for their partnership.  Whilst learning is different when we switch to Remote Learning, it remains engaging and of quality.  On return to school, our teachers work with students to ensure they understand what they learnt and our tutors are there to support those needing a little more direction.  It is important for us all to keep positive, be aware of and open to our feelings, pause and reflect before we respond, adjust as is needed and be kind to ourselves and each other.  If your child or family need any support at this difficult time, please reach out.  It is true when we say, together we've got this!

Thank you to our community for their enthusiastic participation in our virtual Parent Teacher Student Interviews last week.  Whilst the last 18 months have challenged us, some of the measures developed to ensure continuity of learning and ongoing partnership with our families are opportunities that we will continue to enhance for future use.  Our families and teachers responded positively and many parents remarked that virtual meetings made it possible not only for them to attend, but that they made it possible for families to attend together.  We will continue to review this process for the future.  Learning conferences enable both teachers and parents to work together with young people toward enhancing learning and social wellbeing outcomes.  If you missed the opportunity to connect with any teachers, please make contact to arrange a mutually convenient time. 

“Inspiring”, “exciting”, “nervous”, “pumped” and “can’t wait” were words the cast  and crew of our MRC production It Snows used on Sunday afternoon after their first run through on stage.  I was privileged to be present in the audience and was most impressed at the skills they have developed under the leadership of Director, Tamara Searle.  I also extend gratitude to our staff who have led and supported our students Ms Christine Norton, Ms Tina Jenkins, Mr Jeremy Baker and Ms Nikki Williams and to all staff who have eagerly supervised rehearsals.  Final touches are being made to the set and the team will run through sound and light checks before the show is performed on Thursday and Friday. It Snows is one show you shouldn’t miss!  Tickets are still available - It Snows,  Thursday 19 August, 7.00pm at The Camperdown Theatre.

We are optimistic that we can welcome former students and staff of Catholic Regional College Regional and Mercy Regional College to our inaugural Alumni evening on Saturday, 9 October.  The Alumni Night is an all-year reunion.  It doesn’t matter how many years you spent at the College or if you finished Year 12 with us – we are excited to welcome everyone back for a night of memories, connections and delicious food!  Single tickets or tables of eight guests are available for purchase from our event website.

We are making the most of easing of restrictions with our sporting teams representing the College this week and next at Greater Western Regional level in Junior, Senior and Intermediate Netball and at District level in Senior and Intermediate Basketball, Year 7 AFL Football and all ages Clay Target Shooting.  We wish all participants all the very best and are proud of their efforts. 

Planning for 2022 continues with excitement and enthusiasm.  Our Year 7 2022 Discovery Day at our O’Keeffe Campus in Noorat will be rescheduled to Wednesday, 27 October.  Please add this date to your diaries.  Subject selections are almost complete for our Year 9, 10 and 11 students.  Each student has the opportunity to create a personalised learning pathway according to their interests, strengths and future ambitions.  We are excited to offer many new learning opportunities, inclusive of VCE VET opportunities in Information, Digital Media & Technology, Sport & Recreation - Coaching, and Furnishing at first year and continued offering of VCE VET Allied Health Services, Hospitality and Building and Construction at both first and second year. This is alongside an extensive suite of VCE subjects and Middle Years electives and the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL).  There is most definitely something for everyone!  Review these offerings in our Subject Selection Handbook. 

Finally, on Sunday we celebrated an important date within the Catholic Church, the Feast of the Assumption of Mary.  At this time, according to our Catholic faith, the Holy Mother, “having completed her course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”.  Mary’s Assumption teaches us that the reign of God welcomes and embraces our whole being, our total selves.  Our desire for connection with others, especially highlighted during this time of uncertainty, invites us to honour, respect and celebrate the dignity and uniqueness of each human and all of God’s creation. May Mary’s prayer of praise be our prayer:  "My (whole) being proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit finds joy in God my saviour!"

With kindness

Sharon Gillett
Principal

Learning at Mercy

Literacy Report: ‘This is Literacy’

More than simply being proficient with reading and writing, Secondary Literacy is multi-faceted.  It is understanding the complexities of trigonometry, discussing the challenges of peasants in the medieval era, writing a report on an inspirational musician, and so much more.  This article highlights some literacy teaching and learning in action in classrooms at Mercy.

Every teacher is a teacher of literacy. But literacy looks different in every classroom as students grapple with new concepts, read to comprehend them, discuss and formulate new ideas, and share their learning. Ultimately, we want our students to complete their time at Mercy as effective communicators, able to read with a discerning eye, to have important conversations, and to be able to write and produce quality material wherever their life’s journey takes them.

Luke Bourchier
Literacy Coordinator

Wellbeing at Mercy

Dear Families, Carers, Students, Staff and Friends of MRC

It is with much gratitude that we can say Helen Diamond has been able to visit our community. Helen shared with us some understanding of the developmental changes that occur in the brain of the teenagers in our lives and community, and the ways we can connect with them and assist in their journeys as they navigate a need for greater independence.  One of the key take-aways from the evening was that when children are young, parents / carers take on the roll as boss, being the organisers and leaders of their child's life, but as they transition into their teens, parents/carers can start to take on a consultant roll in their teen's life, providing support and guidance.

We were also reminded of the importance of looking after ourselves, as we care for others.  This is possibly a suggestion, or advice that we have heard before; it is also one that we, as parents and carers, can struggle with at times; especially when things are busy, or there are other live events to organise, or navigate.  As we are all aware, we are navigating what for most of us is unchartered waters with the current pandemic; with each of us having our own ways of doing so.

With all of this in mind, this article is going to look at some of the online resources that may assist with our understanding and support of young people and caring for ourselves. If you feel information overloaded, or screen-timed out, perhaps just take time for yourself and resist clicking the links today.

Michael Carr-Gregg, who will hopefully soon be joining our community with an opportunity to further understand and support young people and their mental health, has recently placed an article on School TV.   This article is quite hard hitting with some of the data around young people’s mental health needs and the pandemic; however, he also shares things we can focus on.  These are:

• Choosing our battles with the young people in our lives; suggesting we focus on health & safety, rather than tidy bedrooms.
• Placing the focus on the young person’s wellbeing, although education remains important. Encouraging us to place our attention on the things that can be controlled, such as sleep, diet, exercise and socialising/contact with friends. https://parents.au.reachout.com/skills-to-build/wellbeing/wellbeing-and-teenagers
• To see life as it is and looking at the positives, similar to what was mentioned last fortnight; each day reflecting on what went well and why.
• Remind our young people (and ourselves), that whilst we are unable to choose what happens we can choose our response.
• Help to keep our thinking hopeful and positive. Here Michael shared the app Moodgym – which he said is the world’s best FREE online app, that works with CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and assists to make changes to our negative thoughts and behaviours.
• Lastly, but extremely important, is the point to take care of yourself as a caregiver and support.  It is vital that we keep as well as we are able so we can be there and able to care for others.  https://parents.au.reachout.com/skills-to-build/wellbeing/things-to-try-self-care/how-to-make-self-care-a-family-priority

Or: https://covid19.cewa.edu.au/wellbeing/self-care-for-parents-during-covid-19/

If you are feeling a little guilty or unsure about time for yourself, Fi Newood has written a quote that reminds us:

“To survive as a parent, you must ensure that your self-care is as good as your child care.”

May you take great care of yourselves as you care for those around you.

MRC Wellbeing Team

Production - It Snows

Mercy Regional College is proud to present our biennial production, It Snows; a play by Hoggart, Graeme and Lavery, directed by Tamara Searle and performed by our MRC students.

Same old story.  Boy doesn't meet Girl.  Girl doesn't meet Boy.  Threatened by terrifying Lads Gang.  Threatened by awe-inspiring Girls Gang.  Mum and Dad have declared war... against each other.  Weird neighbour in the building opposite.  Usual ordinary gloominess.  Then, one day, it snows.  Everything changes.

General admission tickets are $5 each and will be available for purchase now.  Bookings will close on Wednesday, 18 August.  Please note that tickets are limited due to the current pandemic restrictions but we may be able to release more seats if restrictions ease further before the performance.

Library Resource Centre Report

We are happy to advise that we have rescheduled our first Book Club event to Monday, 23 August and it will be going ahead at this point of time.  If you enjoy a good book and some informal discussion in a social setting - this is the place for you!  The first two books on our reading list will be:

• Lenny's Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
• The Guest List by Lucy Foley

You can pick up these books from your preferred retailer or local library and snuggle up for a good read before our first meeting.  The books can also be found on eBook and audiobook platforms.

You don't need to have read both books to participate.  We would also encourage attendees to bring along suggestions for future Book Club reads.

Refreshments will be provided. For more information please contact moloughlan@mercy.vic.edu.au.

Maureen O'Loughlan
Library Manager

Careers

• Open day dates
• Information for students applying for Victorian, NSW and Canberra courses including key dates
• University accommodation
• University scholarships
• Early admission programs
  

Student Achievements

We congratulate Veronica Wyss, Year 9, for making it through to the national finals of an Aerial competition in the Junior Intermediate segment.  Veronica has been training on silks and hoops apparatus for the past three years and in her first competition she made it through initial rounds and will compete in the final on 28-29 August.  We wish her all the best in her preparation and next round of competition. 

Alumni News

Alumni Night

We are excited to announce that the tickets for the MRC Alumni Night 2021 are now available for purchase.

The Alumni Night is an all year reunion that is open to all past students of Catholic Regional College and Mercy Regional College, and their partners. The Alumni Night is a fantastic opportunity to catch up with former classmates and teachers, share school memories, and enjoy a delicious meal. We are looking forward to seeing you all on 9 October 2021!

Please let your friends know too so they don’t miss out! 

COVID Information

To protect the health of guests and organisers, the final number of guests for this event will be determined by the COVID regulations effective on 9 October 2021.

• If the event is postponed, all tickets will be fully refunded. 
• If the number of guests is reduced due to new density regulations, the priority will be given to guests who purchased their tickets first. 

Thank you for your cooperation.

Our Diocesan Community Newsletter

Please see the below link to view the latest "Our Diocesan Community Newsletter which shares good news stories of our schools, parishes and agencies across our diocese. 

Upcoming Dates and Events

Thursday, 19 August - School Production public performance of It Snows

Thursday, 19 August - Years 7 & 8 Students at McAuley Campus

Monday, 23 August - MRC Book Club

Monday, 6 September - Instrumental Music Concert

Tuesday, 14 September - Michael Carr Gregg Presentation: Adolescence & Mental Health Awareness

Friday, 17 September - Term 3 Concludes

Our school calendar is always available to be viewed through the Parent Access Module (PAM).  Further details for school events, student excursions, camps, and student assignment due dates, etc, can all be found on the PAM calendar.

Community Notices