MRC Newsletter - Issue 2 - 21 February 2024

Prayer

Principal's Message

The beginning of each school year is a time of expectation, engagement and enrichment. We gather joyfully together in many forms of community to welcome, celebrate and connect, often in our Catholic tradition and always with inclusion and belonging as a central focus. This time of year never ceases to be one I look forward to and never disappoints. The energy and enthusiasm of students and staff is contagious. The warmer weather helps as well!

Learning and growth remain central to our purpose and improving learning outcomes for all is our consistent focus and pursuit. We know that it takes a connected community working in partnership to do this. 2024 is the culminating year of our current School Improvement Plan (SIP). This five year plan was reflective of the voice of our whole school community and discerned where and how we should act to bring about improvement to enhance learning. Each year has an Annual Action Plan (AAP) to direct our efforts and keep us moving towards the achievement of our SIP Priorities.

Our first SIP Priority centred on refining our College Vision and Mission, along with the accompanying guiding documents, starting with our Mercy Core Values and College mantra. Students, staff, parents, and alumni collaborated closely to assess these integral components of our College identity, ensuring their alignment with our present context and our vision for the future of Catholic education at Mercy Regional College. I am delighted to present our updated Vision & Mission and Mercy Core Values, alongside our steadfast mantra. It is my hope that together, we can breathe new life into these documents, which encapsulate the essence of our identity. They are accompanied by our newly produced MRC Prayer, Vision for Learning Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP),  Wellbeing Framework and Building and Facilities Master Plan, all which will be revealed across the year.

Our community embarked on our 2024 Lenten journey commencing with Ash Wednesday last week, marking a time of unity and solidarity. Students, teachers, and staff unite to support each other through prayer, volunteer efforts, and fundraising for charitable causes. This collective engagement fosters stronger bonds and cultivates a spirit of unity among us. Beyond the classroom, Lent offers students opportunities to infuse our Mercy Core values into their daily lives. Whether through acts of kindness, moments of self-reflection, or involvement in service to their community, we learn to apply the principles of Lent to our interactions with others and our wider communities. 

Our school community and connection events have been wonderful these past few weeks. Our Swimming Sports on 9 February at Terang Pool saw Markey take home the cup with many swimmers now preparing for the Hampden Secondary Schools Sports Division event again in Terang on Friday. Our House Rubiks Cube Challenge was taken out by Jannah L. again from Markey. Year 7 Camp was brilliant. Hosted by Camp Campaspe in Kyneton, our newest students to the school enjoyed making new friends and getting to know their teachers better whilst conquering the Giant Swing, Flying Fox and other challenges together, making wonderful memories. Monday evening provide the opportunity for Year 12 students, parents and staff to play lawn bowls together. Thank you to Camperdown Golf Bowls Club for your hospitality. Photos of these events are later in the newsletter.

I invite parents, carers and families to join our College community at our Athletic Sports next Friday 1 March. Held at the Camperdown Little Athletics Centre in Frederick St, the day is always one of great spirit and enjoyment. 

I ask our community to hold the following staff members in their prayers and thoughts during their challenging times. Kym Penry, a dedicated and long-serving teacher, has embarked on a courageous journey to combat breast cancer. Despite the difficulties, Kym remains hopeful and strong, finding solace in the support of our community and her family.

Teacher Christine Norton is awaiting surgery. Christine remains positive and confident in her return to her Mercy classrooms ready for Term 2. Deputy Principal Natalie Stephenson recently suffered a fractured T12 vertebrae in a home accident. While she navigates her recovery in a back brace, Natalie will be working part-time from home as she is currently unable to drive. I acknowledge that there are many others in our community facing their own trials, all of whom could benefit from the collective power of prayer. 

On occasion we use SMS messaging to contact parents. This is often when we need to make contact immediately, such as last week when one of our buses broke down and we thought our young people would miss connecting buses. I just need to share with you that there are character limits on the length of our SMS messages which may reduce our capacity for additional words. Please know, our staff are always kind and polite. They may just not have enough characters in the message to relay this. We appreciate your understanding.

COVID Update - We are aware of instances of COVID-19 presenting again in our local communities. The recommendation remains that if you test positive for COVID you should remain at home for at least five days. 

In conclusion, we honour the remarkable life of Sister Honora (Honnie) Wardle (also known as Sister Mary de Chantal), who peacefully passed away at the age of 95 over the weekend. Sister de Chantal made invaluable contributions to our school community, serving as Noorat Campus Coordinator, while also leading the Wellbeing Team. She held the distinction of being the last Sister of Mercy on our staff, retiring in 2002. Sister de Chantal was deeply respected by all, revered for her wisdom, practical advice, and serene presence. Her dedication extended beyond the classroom; she was known to stay up all night during school camps to ensure everyone's safety and provide staff relief.

If you have access to the 2003 Year Book, I encourage you to read the tribute penned by then Principal Patrick Linehan, which captures Sister de Chantal's essence beautifully.

Sister de Chantal's enduring legacy includes the design of the MRC Cross, created to coincide with the renaming of the College in 2004. She meticulously reproduced the MRC Cross on the original banner, a proud emblem of Mercy Regional College at major events until May 2020. Today, this banner and a Mercy Cross crafted by Sister de Chantal grace our convent building, serving as enduring symbols of her dedication and contribution. Additionally, in recognition of her profound impact and her love of all things sport, especially tennis, our stadium at McAuley Campus in Camperdown proudly bears her name. With deep respect and gratitude, we bid farewell to Sister de Chantal, whose spirit will forever resonate within our school community.

With kindness,
Sharon Gillett - Principal

Learning at MRC

The NAPLAN schedule at MRC is as follows:

*Start is to allow for late bus travelers to arrive

Year 7 students will be completing their NAPLAN tests at the McAuley Campus.  We will provide specific details of travel and arrangements for the day closer to the date.

All of our Year 7 and 9 students will have opportunities via the NAPLAN Public Demonstration Site  (https://www.nap.edu.au/online-assessment/public-demonstration-site) to familiarise themselves with the online testing platform. Our Learning Leaders will work with our staff to develop the best possible plan for NAPLAN preparation.

Each year the media jumps on the opportunity to create a narrative around the pros and cons of NAPLAN. I wish to take this opportunity to reassure parents that NAPLAN tests should be seen as a normal event in the yearly cycle of schooling. We all know that they are a narrow snapshot of a young person’s skills at a specific moment in time, however, the data that NAPLAN provides for us as a school is very valuable when looked at over periods of time and compared with other data that we have on student learning. It helps us to inform our teaching practice and our school improvement plans for each year. 

Please partner with us to normalise and minimise anxiety around NAPLAN and test taking in general. If anything, the opportunity for students to have to sit quietly for a sustained period of time and concentrate is an important life skill in itself. 

For students who are currently connected with Claire Walsh and the Learning Diversity team, Claire will be in touch to discuss possible disability adjustments for those students. If families are aware of any planned absences that will impact on attendance on the test days we ask that you please let your Community Leader know as soon as possible. The testing window is generous and does allow us to catch up as many students as we can. 

All students are required to have their own headphones for the tests. Cheap plug-in headphones actually work much better than wireless expensive earbuds which can be inexplicably ‘glitchy’.

The following brochure is published by the VCAA for all families.

Leanne Delahunty - Director of Learning and Teaching

Senior School

The students have been working on their study timetables during our Mercy sessions. Recognising the commitments our students juggle, encompassing work and extracurricular activities like sports, they've voiced valid concerns regarding managing these alongside their academic workload. While these extracurricular pursuits serve as valuable respites from their studies, it's equally crucial to instill the habit of devising weekly study plans to prevent feelings of overwhelm.

Additionally, our Year 12 cohort will benefit from an informative session led by Robyn Scanlon from South West Health, focusing on stress management techniques. This session aims to empower students to recognise signs of stress and anxiety, equipping them with effective strategies to alleviate these symptoms. It's imperative for students to develop these coping mechanisms, ensuring their holistic well-being as they navigate the demands of their academic journey.

Mel Kavanagh - Learning Leader Senior School

Middle School

The Middle School students have been settling well into the 2024 school year. They have show a positive level of organisation and motivation starting the year.  

The Year 9 students will have a new hybrid class configuration for their PE and Religion lessons this year, and their teachers have been experimenting with large format (year level) seminar classes mixed with break out, small class lessons.  The students have been very open to the change and have shown an admirable willingness to give all activities a go.  

Our Year 10 students have settled into their new electives well, with some changes occurring over the past weeks.  Hopefully everyone now is settled into their chosen classes with VCE pathway discussions already beginning.  Students are also completing their final preparations for their work experience which will begin after the Easter break.   

We ask all parents to continue checking in with their students about their workload and upcoming assessments.  Especially given the brevity of Term 1 it is really important that the children stay on top of their work, and you let us know if any issues or concerns arise.

Josiane Gardner - Learning Leader Middle School

Junior School

It has been great to see students settle into the rhythms and routines that teachers here at O’Keeffe have been busy implementing. Both Year 7 and 8 students are in full swing of managing their timetables, completing and planning for homework, organising what is needed for each lesson, and establishing good learning habits. 

Our Year 7 students have spent the last week or two completing their PAT testing in reading and numeracy. This information will assist teachers to work collaboratively as a school to  create appropriate learning paths, and to provide appropriate support where required. A big few weeks for this group with Year 7 camp thrown into the mix!

Year 8 students are enjoying the changed format to their English classes as teachers continue to work with Kirstin Bourne, an education consultant with a vast background in English and Literature teaching and curriculum design, to create and provide an engaging curriculum in line with the science of learning. Students in Year 8 are currently exploring the ‘Quest’ genre, while Year 7’s are investigating the ‘Hero’ in literature. 

Things are off to a good start at O’Keeffe!

Leah Sinnott - Learning Leader O'Keeffe

Lions Youth of the Year

On Tuesday, February 13th, our three school captains showcased their talents at the Lions Youth of The Year event held at the Camperdown RSL.

Prior to delivering formal and impromptu speeches, Matilda, Veronica, and Sophie presented a comprehensive list of their academic, sporting and community achievements to the panel, highlighting their diverse strengths. The students engaged in an interview process, discussing topics such as teacher shortages, youth crime, and climate change.

Later in the evening, they responded to impromptu questions regarding future challenges and dream travel destinations. Following this, each student delivered a compelling 5-minute speech on a topic of their choice.

Matilda Kealley was awarded the winner of the oral speech category. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the girls for their exceptional performance, which was recognised and praised by the judges for their outstanding written applications, interviews, and speeches.

Berni Sinnott - Senior Years Community Leader

Year 7 French

Bonjour! Salut! Comment ça va? - Hello! How are you?

We are proud of our freshly decorated new French classroom. We play conversation games, practise role play and act out the cartoon stories in the textbook to our heart's content! Here are students of 7C practising a variety of responses to "Ça va?" (How are you?)

Community & Wellbeing at MRC

Firstly, I would like to introduce you to our Wellbeing team at Mercy. Sharon Suhan, Chadley Peerman, Claire Walsh, our Community Leaders (Matt, Tim, Lydia, Nickeeta, Berni) and myself. 

As we continue our way through Term 1, our Wellbeing team are working hard to host an array of initiatives designed to enhance well-being and foster engagement among our students and staff. Let's dive into the exciting happenings at both campuses.

In our pursuit of mindfulness and relaxation, we are introducing Mind Gym sessions. These will be held at our McAluey campus. These brief lunchtime workshops, focusing on relaxation, stress reduction, and mindfulness, will provide a valuable space for personal growth. Keep an eye on your emails, SIMON, and messages from our Community leaders for details on how to register for these enriching sessions. Limited to 8 students per session. We will begin running these once a fortnight. 

For those seeking a sense of camaraderie and House spirit, our wellbeing team is gearing up for engaging challenges during recess and lunch breaks. These challenges, set to occur fortnightly, promise a mix of talents on display. Kicking off the excitement was the Rubik's Cube House Competition. There were amazing minds on display in this unique comp. Congratulations to Jannah L. winning with an impressive 24.14!! 

A special date to mark on your calendars is February 23rd - our Picnic @ O’Keeffe. All students and staff are invited to bring their lunch to the Oval. Picture picnic rugs, pleasant music, and a fantastic opportunity to meet new faces within the O’Keeffe campus community. It's bound to be an afternoon of relaxation and connection.

As we delve into weekly activities at O’Keeffe, students are welcome to explore their creative side with watercolor painting in the art room every Thursday. Fridays, excluding February 9th & 23rd, will feature UNO sessions in the library. Open to all students, these activities promise a break from routine and a chance to unwind and makes some new friends. 

Our 1000 Cranes Challenge invites everyone to contribute to a visually stunning display of cranes. Capture the moment with a selfie, drop off your creation in to the office, or hand it over to Matt, who will ensure it reaches Chadley. Let's come together and make this a collaborative and inspiring project. Even parents/carers can send theirs in! 

In our commitment to individual well-being, we are trialing Attendance Action Plans. This targeted approach, developed in collaboration with the well-being team, aims to create awareness, provide support for improvement. Parents/carers will be informed and part of this process if it occurs. Our Community leaders will be actively monitoring and working with individuals on this initiative.

For a touch of nostalgia and some light-hearted fun, our O’Keeffe Homeroom Challenge involves staff providing their baby photos. Homerooms then having to work out who is who!! It's a delightful way to build connections and share some laughs. The winning homeroom will receive a hot chip lunch from ‘The Shed’!! 

Excitingly, we are launching a new digital well-being resource called School TV on Mercy’s website. Tailored for parents, it will provide valuable insights and resources. Additionally, staff will receive various resources and links on diverse issues. Look out for more information on the launch in Term 1.

Emily Stephens - Assistant Principal, Wellbeing & Engagement

O'Keeffe Campus

The start of the school year has been a great transition for both new Year 7 students and returning Year 8 students.

Term 1 is always a busy term with House Swimming, athletics, HSSSD swimming and athletics, Year 7 Camp, and other internal events involving our young people. 

The next big event for our students is the upcoming House athletics carnival. This will be held on March 1st, at the Camperdown Athletics Oval in Frederick street. 

Year 7 Camp

On Wednesday, February 14th, to Friday, February 16th, the Year 7 students made their way to Camp Campaspe for three days of sun-filled activities and excitement.

All students attended the camp, which is a great way to begin the school year and start building friendships and connections that last for the next six years at MRC.

After students arrived, they were assigned their activity and room groups for the next few days. Students then commenced with outdoor activities including skill-building, aeroball, and concluded with capture the flag and some octopus. The evening saw the students participate in a liturgy to celebrate Ash Wednesday.

The following two days were filled with great food, activities, and wonderful memories that the students will cherish for the next few years. A huge thank you to Mrs. Sinnott, Mr. Woodmason, Miss Gresenti, Isaac, Lucas, and Troy for their supervision and support for the students.

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Student Attendance

At O'Keeffe Campus in 2024 a big focus will be on student attendance. While there will be times your child/ren do get ill, trying to ensure your child/ren be at school for everyday possible is a priority. If your son/daughter is struggling with any aspects of school please don't hesitate to make contact with myself or anyone from the wellbeing team here at MRC. All staff are willing to support parents and students with this ongoing challenge.

Matthew Irving - Assistant Principal, O'Keeffe Campus

Yr 12 Bowls Evening

On Monday, February 19th, more than 100 Year 12 students, along with their parents and teachers, gathered at the Lakes Recreation Park for an unforgettable evening of camaraderie and competition at a Lawn Bowls event. Hosted by the Camperdown Golf Magpies Bowling Club, the event provided ample bowls, a delicious BBQ, refreshing drinks, and entertainment courtesy of the charismatic Michael (Lick) Brebner, who expertly coordinated the competition. Laughter (and perhaps a few tears!) filled the air as participants channelled their inner "Crackerjack" and engaged in friendly rivalry.

Congratulations are in order for Myles and Stephen S., who emerged as the overall winners, although their victory is currently under dispute. The evening reached its peak during a thrilling "roll-off," where all participants simultaneously rolled their bowls, vying to be the closest to the "kitty" and win the $10 prize. Kudos to Roger H. and Rachel K. for their successful rolls in this exciting game.

Beyond the competitive aspect, the evening served as a wonderful opportunity for students, parents, and staff to connect and bond outside the confines of the classroom. Building rapport and fostering relationships are vital aspects of the final year of school, and this event provided the perfect backdrop for strengthening these connections.

Berni Sinnott - Senior Years Community Leader

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Sports Report

Senior Cricket

On Monday 12th February our MRC Senior Boys Cricket Team played 3 games against Terang College, Camperdown College and Timboon College. 

GAME 1: Timboon College batted first and scored 55 in their 10 overs. Wickets were shared around but the highlight was Mark L. getting two wickets in two balls to be on a hat trick.  MRC were able to chase that score in 7.1 overs with Myles S. batting well.  

GAME 2: Our next match against Terang College was a classic. MRC made a very good score of 85 (off 10 overs). Taj Podger led the way with the bat scoring 54. In an amazing finish Terang were able to score 2 runs off the last ball to win. 

GAME 3: Our last game against Camperdown College also did not go our way. After Camperdown College scored 69 off their 10 over we were unable to run down the 70 runs needed. 

Well done to our players that represented the school.

MRC House Swimming

The annual MRC House Swimming Sports was held at Terang Swimming Pool on Friday 9th February. 

The weather was great and participation was up on previous years.  Students dressing up in their house colours was another highlight of the day.

We saw some really good results and a number of swimmers demonstrated that they will be hard to beat at the HSSSD Swimming on Friday 23rd February. Thanks to the parents that came along and to all staff that completed the various jobs throughout the day. 

Age Champions for each age group-

🏊‍♂️ Under 13: 
Olive W.
Austin P.

🏊‍♂️ Under 14: 
Charlotte H.
Archie M.

🏊‍♂️ Under 15: 
Pippa B.
Harrison G.

🏊‍♂️ Under 16: 
Lara C.
Hamish M.

🏊‍♂️ Under 17: 
Taleah M.
Ben C. and Aiden C. (tied)

🏊‍♂️ Under 21: 
Jessica W.
Luke K.

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Faith at MRC

What an exciting beginning to a new school year, full of celebrations steeped in our Catholic tradition and heritage. The start of our academic year always begins with a Commencement Mass and Awards ceremony. While this usually takes place in the stadium, it was very special to have this held in St Patrick’s Church. It’s particularly special for our new and past students to come together to celebrate as one. Students, staff and families joined together for Mass that helps us look forward to the privileges and challenges of the year ahead. We welcomed our Year 7s and presented them with their house badges and celebrated last year’s VCE results with certificates and awards. 

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The celebration of Shrove Tuesday last week brought students together on both campuses. Year 12s were able to travel to O’Keeffe to cook and serve pancakes to junior students. Year 9s cooked for McAuley, and senior leaders served the pancakes at recess. We made a lovely start to our Caritas fundraising - $190 across the two campuses! Well done everyone! Many people are aware that Shrove Tuesday helps us to use the excess of gluttonous ingredients ahead of lent. However, something that is less known is that the name comes from the old word ‘shriving’, which means to listen to someone’s sins and forgive them. In Anglo-Saxon England, Christians would go to church on Shrove Tuesday to confess their sins and cleanse their soul. In other words, they would be ‘shriven’. 

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and helps us to focus on the target of doing the right thing for others and for the world. In the bible, to Sin literally meant to “miss the mark”, an archery term - a common thing for those days!  We put the gospel values at the center of the target and it becomes easier. We are focusing on compassion, mercy, love and forgiveness - how do we do that in our everyday lives, at school, at home, in our communities? 

Our social justice groups have begun meeting under a new title: “Mercy Students Making A Difference” aka “MAD”. The focus of MAD is to make a change and positively impact social and environmental justice issues. The main premise is to ground our work in Catholic Social Teaching principles. Our key focus in Term 1 will be on supporting wider Caritas fundraising, and developing ideas to carry forward throughout the year. These may include environmental projects, awareness raising for indigenous issues, or running events like the Winter Sleepout for homelessness. O’Keeffe students meet on Wednesdays in Week 1 of the timetable, and McAuley students meet on Wednesdays in Week 2. Any and all students are welcome to join at any point. 

The Caritas Project Compassion boxes have appeared in homerooms. Every homeroom is in charge of running their own fundraising project during Lent. Some year levels are joining together to create a bigger project. It’s very exciting to see the enthusiasm of staff and students for this wonderful project. Students are also learning about the people who are directly affected by the work of Caritas in their Religious Education lessons. We thank you for your support of this project. More information about the impacts of this project can be found on the Caritas website: https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion

Melanie Bourchier - Director of Catholic Identity and Culture

It is curious that this year Ash Wednesday happens to fall on the same day as St Valentine’s Day. This doesn’t happen very often. St Valentine’s Day is a great occasion for florists and restaurants. Some people get carried away and arrange to propose marriage in hot air balloons and beside beautiful waterfalls. This is all great fun, and it is delightful to see people dizzy with love. 

We all know that real love is about more than the good times. It is a commitment to grow together and encounter each other more and more deeply, even when the going is tough. There are legends about St Valentine but it’s not clear who he may have been. The chances are, however, that he was a martyr in the early period of the Christian story. He knew that love meant sacrifice. Love lays down its own life to give life to others. 

Ash Wednesday is the perfect day to think about love. We don’t see flowers in church today and we are asked to eat modestly. Today, we begin our journey towards our observance and celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter. The cross of Jesus is the ultimate symbol of how profoundly God loves the world. 

Lent is a time when we are also asked to consider how authentically we make God’s love visible to others. The reading today from St Paul reminds us that ‘we are ambassadors for Christ.’ This means taking risks and reaching beyond our comfort zones to share a message with a world that is often indifferent and doesn’t want to hear it. 

Each year, through Project Compassion, Caritas Australia offers us a significant opportunity to become ambassadors for Christ. The prophet Joel says, ‘Why should it be said among nations, “where is their God?”’ In other words, we must try to live the message of Jesus, which is one of justice, compassion, inclusion and extravagant love. 

Today’s Psalm is a reminder that God speaks through us: 
Give me again the joy of your help, 
With a spirit of fervour sustain me, 
O Lord, open my lips, 
And my mouth shall declare your praise.

Credit: Caritas Australia

Ryan Feast Day

Ryan Feast Day celebrates the wonderful men and women that have come before us and helped establish our college. In the tradition of the Catholic Church, a Feast Day is a day to remember and celebrate something or someone important to our faith. 

Ryan House represents the Parents, Staff and Students of MRC. Sister Beda Ryan was the Principal of St Patrick’s School, Camperdown in 1972 and was a member of the first staff of the newly formed Catholic Regional College in 1973. Desmond “Dinny” Ryan and his wife Mary were members of the Catholic Regional College and Mercy Regional College staff for many years. They have been synonymous with dedication, service and commitment to the cause of Catholic secondary education in the region.

Today, the Staff and Students celebrated their team spirit on the basketball courts at O’Keeffe. Junior students played half court basketball and netball. At McAuley each Ryan student and staff member was treated to a red donut. We hope that students will strive to take on the persistent and generous attitude of their house namesakes.

Careers News

Please see the link below for the latest Careers News:

Library News

Student Library Leaders appointed at O'Keeffe Campus

This term all students of Year 7 and 8 were invited to apply for Library Leadership positions and the call was answered with great enthusiasm. Applicants were asked one question: “Why would you like to be a Library Leader and what would be your strengths in this role?” Excerpts from some of the replies include the following:

“I would like to be a library leader to help cultivate young minds into becoming readers. I think if we associate a library with fun activities, interesting stories and a loving community, more people will pick up a book. My skills in the role would be that I am very passionate about reading. I also like to believe I am a bridge. I can understand what adults want to say but translate it into a way that it stays with people my age.”

“I believe I'd be a good fit for this role. I have the vision to inspire my peers to read, not only to read but to inspire them, inspiration is the key to unlocking great stories and I want to help my fellow peers in achieving that!  …  I have A LOT of ideas for events such as Book Week …

I believe that together we can make a safe, exciting, inspiring and most importantly, a ‘ bookly' world in our library.”

Congratulations to our appointed Leaders: Piper, Poppy and Jess (Year 8) and Madison (Year 7). They are looking forward to contributing many great ideas towards re-imagining and enlivening the Library. 

In their role they will:

• Provide a student voice in the Library
• Support the Vision and Mission of the Library
• Contribute to continual improvement of the library
• Support Library activities through attendance
• Attend and contribute to planning meetings
• Create and lead Library events and activities for the O’Keeffe campus (eg Book Week and lunchtime activities)
• Inform and encourage other students to join in activities offered via talking to classrooms  or speaking at assemblies
• Assist in selection of new fiction
• Greet and assist other Library users
• Demonstrate leadership through being a role model for other students
• Participate in a field trip to Warrnambool Library, Emmanuel College and Collins Booksellers
• Participate in a day trip to the Melbourne Writers Festival on Monday 6 May. (Details next page)
• Receive Library Leaders badges.

Contact jchristie@mercy.vic.edu.au

Journal Club 

Throughout the year at the O’Keeffe Campus, the Library will be running a lunchtime Journal Club in five week blocks each term. To begin each session a presenter will give a thought-provoking prompt and students can choose their own creative response to the topic, whether through writing or art. Journals are provided to the students by the Library. Journal Club is great for writing skills, wellbeing and making new friendships. At the end of the year students will have a journal that is not only a great reflective tool but, if kept, can become a great keepsake that will remind them of their younger selves in years to come.

Jean Christie - Library & Resource Centre Coordinator

Battlefields Tour 2024

As mentioned late last year we are excited to announce the return of the Mercy Regional College Battlefields Tour, an extraordinary educational experience that takes place every two years. This unique opportunity is open to students in Years 10 to 11 (12’s upon discussion). The tour spans approximately 10 days, encompassing part of the last week of Term 3 holidays and the first week of Term 4.

An information event will be held Monday 4th March at 5.30pm in the Middle School rooms for all who are interested.

At this information session we will discuss payment requirements including installments and timeline. Participation for this experience is purely voluntary, therefore costs will not be subsidised, however a payment plan will be available. 

Below is an overview of the experience, including student experiences. If you have any further questions ahead of the information session please feel free to contact the school.

Our adventure begins as we depart from Melbourne and embark on a transformative journey to the heart of history. Flying into Paris, we spend two nights exploring the enchanting city before delving into the poignant landscapes of the First World War.

The tour takes us to Amiens, France, where we spend two nights uncovering the Somme battlefields of 1916 and 1918. We will also visit Arras for a night, paying respects at the sites of two Australian tragedies in Fromelles and Bullecourt. Moving on to Belgium, we spent three nights in Ypres, a town steeped in history as the epicenter of the 1917 Third Battle of Ypres, where Australians played a significant role. Ypres serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made during the First World War, and each night, we participate in the haunting Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate.

The educational objective of the tour is to connect young people from our district with the profound historical events of the First World War. To personalise this experience, each participant is encouraged to research a soldier or nurse who served in the war, preferably on the Western Front in France and Belgium. Whenever possible, we visit graves, memorials, and battle sites associated with these individuals, leading to educational and emotional moments.

While the Battlefields pilgrimage is central to the tour, we also take the opportunity to explore world-renowned sites in Paris and London. In Paris, we enjoy guided tours of Louis XIV’s magnificent Palace of Versailles, admire the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, and ascend the iconic Eiffel Tower. In London, our journey continues with visits to the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, and the thousand-year-old Tower of London.

In every aspect of the Battlefields Tour, we strive to retrace the footsteps of those who made immense sacrifices for future generations. 

The following are a summary of two former students; Polly Moloney and Abbey Vines and their  stories and connection to their experience of the Battlefields tour of 2017. Through their research the students on the Battlefields Tour attempt to bring back to the community the stories of these people whose lives were so changed by the war.

Polly Moloney and Abbey Vines both researched soldiers who served at the horrific Battle of Pozieres which began on 23 July 1916. In six weeks, the Australians had 23,000 casualties of whom 6,000 were killed.

Polly’s great, great uncle Private Hugh Joseph Slattery, from Garvoc, won a Distinguished Conduct Medal and a Military Medal in France and Belgium for his bravery as a stretcher bearer. Hugh returned to Australia in 1919. The family say that he was unable to properly settle and became an alcoholic. He died in 1934 and is buried in the Lancefield Cemetery.

Abbey’s soldier was Sergeant Thomas Nicholls Vines of the 5 Battalion, who was aged 23 when he enlisted. He was a signaller and won the Military Medal for his actions at Pozieres, France 25 July 1916. He returned to Australia in December 1918. Who knows how he was affected by the war, but it is safe to say that all who returned were marked in some way. Approximately 60,000 Australians died in the Great War. That number ended in April 1921. Estimates suggest that as many as 60,000 again died in the decades after the war as a result of their service.

Let us embark on this enlightening journey together, connecting our students with the profound history that shaped our world.

Canteen News

New Canteen Ordering System Now Online

Spriggy is a very easy straight forward ordering system displaying all products, dietary requirements, specials, prices & is available on all mobile phone devises 24/7. Orders can be placed up to 4 weeks in advance. All orders must be received on the required day by 9.30am.   
9.30am is our cut off time each day on the day.
Over the counter cash & card lunch order sales are still available.
Canteen opening Hours 8.30am-1.30pm - Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday
Canteen is Closed on Mondays till further notice
We are highly recommending that all lunch orders be placed by any of the above options to secure everyones lunch requirements & to avoid any disappointment as there is now only minimum over the counter food options available at lunch break.
Cash & Card Payments welcome 
No Phone Payment Policy remains  
We hope to see you all during 2024 & welcome any new menu suggestions or near future ideas.
Thanks for all your ongoing support 
The Canteen Team

Open Day 2024

We warmly invite prospective families to attend our 2024 Open Day on Wednesday 20 March.

With information sessions in the morning and afternoon/evening at our McAuley Campus in Camperdown, we look forward to sharing what Mercy has to offer our local communities.

Registration is essential.

McAuley Campus Tours: 20 March 2024 - https://enrol.mercy.vic.edu.au/events/2024-open-day-2024-03-20
O'Keeffe Campus Tours: 22 March 2024 - https://enrol.mercy.vic.edu.au/events/2024-okeeffe-campus-tours-2024-03-22

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)

Child Safe Standard 6

People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.

Click here for details about Child Safe Standard 6

Mercy Regional College is dedicated to fostering a safe and supportive environment for all students. Central to our commitment is the implementation of key policies, such as ensuring that individuals working with children and young people are not only suitable for their roles but also receive continuous support to embody and reflect our core values of child safety and wellbeing in their daily practices. 

These policies include:

• MRC child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• MRC Safeguarding Children and Young People Code of Conduct
• DOBCEL reportable conduct scheme
• DOBCEL Identifying and responding to abuse
• DOBCEL Protect- Reporting and responding obligations policy
• DOBCEL Protect- Identifying and responding to student sexual offending
• MRC Duty of Care policy

In practice and complying with Standard 6, MRC  actively implements these policies, ensuring people working with our children are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values.

Some of the evidence of policy implementation and practice includes:

• Recruitment, including advertising, referee checks and staff and volunteer pre-employment screening, emphasise child safety and wellbeing.
• Relevant staff and volunteers at MRC have current working with children checks or equivalent background checks
• All staff and volunteers at MRC receive an appropriate induction and are aware of their responsibilities to children and young people, including record keeping, information sharing and reporting obligations.
• Ongoing supervision and people management is focused on child safety and wellbeing.

These efforts collectively contribute to MRC's commitment to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment for all students. More information on these policies can be found on the school website: www.mercy.vic.edu.au

School Photos

School Photos 2024 – Mercy Regional College
Annual school photos including sibling photos will be taken by Arthur Reed Photos on Thursday 7th
March 2024.
There is no need to return any forms or money to school.
Unique image codes will be issued to all students on/after photo day so families can register online
to view images when they become available in the webshop.
Registration is simple, just follow the 3 simple steps on your child’s personalised flyer once you
receive it and remember to add the codes for all your children attending this school.
Even if you registered last year, it’s important that you do again this year using your child’s 2024
image code to link their images for the current year with your contact details.
When images are ready to view and in the webshop, all parents who have registered will be notified
by SMS and email.
Once registered, please wait for notification that 2024 images are online to view before making
your purchase.

Upcoming Dates and Events

Thursday 22 February
Outdoor Ed Pool Session

Friday 23 February
HSSSD Swimming
Presentation Ball Practice

Monday 26 February
House 1500m Events
Presentation Ball Practice

Wednesday 28 February
Outdoor Ed Surf Excursion

Thursday 29 February
Unit 3 Biology Excursion

Friday 1 March
MRC House Athletics Sports

Monday 4 March
Clay Target Shooting Competition
Presentation Ball Practice

Wednesday 6th March
GWR Intermediate Boys and Senior Girls Cricket
GWR Intermediate and Senior Tennis

Thursday 7 March
School Photos Day

Monday 11 March
Student Free Day (Labour Day Public Holiday)

Wednesday 13 March
NAPLAN Testing

Thursday 14 March
Presentation Ball Practice

Thursday 15 March
Presentation Ball

Wednesday 20 March
MRC Open Day & Evening

Wednesday 28 March
Holy Thursday Easter Liturgy
Term 1 Ends

Community Notices

413 Squadron - AAFC Australian Air Force Cadets offer a youth development program like no other -  Teambuilding / Aerospace skills / Aviation experiences / Fieldcraft & bivouacs / Ceremonial services / Challenges / Leadership & survival skills / Making new friends and having heaps of fun.

We are recruiting now for our 2024 Semester 1 intake. Australian Air Force Cadets offers provides a fantastic youth development program for secondary students from all walks of life (enrolment age is 12-15) and they can continue until they are 18 years old.  
Our cadet unit has been established since 2012 and are fully equipped for aviation training including a flight simulator, bivouacs (outdoor camping), drone technology, fieldcraft and so much more.  There are so many experiences and opportunities available to our cadets that they won’t find anywhere else!
 413 Squadron Australian Air Force Cadets enjoy an excellent working relationship with the RSL and other service groups, and participate annually in Australia Day, ANZAC Day, Vietnam Veterans Day and Remembrance Day ceremonies, as well as other local ceremonies as requested.
RECRUITMENT NIGHT: Thursday 7 March – 6:45pm sharp
Tel el Eisa Army Barracks, Pertobe Road Warrnambool