Mercy Regional College eNewsletter

Prayer

An Irish Blessing for St Patrick’s Day:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Principal's Message

This week, we celebrate Harmony Week, a time to embrace diversity, inclusion, and belonging while reinforcing our Mercy Core Values of Inclusiveness, Respect, and Community. As our Mercy community continues to grow, welcoming staff, students, and families from many cultures, we take this opportunity to appreciate the richness that diversity brings.

We have welcomed staff from Ireland, Fiji, USA, United Kingdom and South Africa, students and families from the Philippines, Burma, Britain, China, India and Kenya, Fr Neville from Sri Lanka and now Fr George from India! Through shared stories, discussions, and traditions, students and staff deepen their understanding of one another. This week, we also created a special sense of belonging for our Irish staff by recognising St Patrick’s Day. Harmony Week reminds us that our strength lies in our diversity, fostering a school environment where everyone feels valued and included. Let’s come together to celebrate different backgrounds and perspectives—wear your orange on Friday to show your support!

Our Mercy Core Value of Community has truly shone over the past fortnight. We were delighted to return to the beautiful Camperdown Theatre Royal to celebrate 51 of our young people as they embraced the special Mercy milestone of the Presentation Ball.

The Mercy Presentation Ball is a cherished tradition that marks the journey into their final years of schooling and the transition to adulthood. This elegant evening offers students the chance to swap school uniforms for stunning gowns and sharp suits and—after weeks of enthusiastic dance practice—grace the dance floor with a newfound appreciation for traditional steps. While some glide effortlessly and others count every beat with laser focus, the night is about more than just perfect footwork. It’s a celebration of confidence, connection, and community, where family and friends gather to honour our students in an event that fosters belonging, creates lasting memories, and transcends generations.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the tireless Mercy staff who made this evening possible—Rose Henry, Allison Lourey and Berni Sinnott and dance trainer Tess Lourey—as well as the many others who worked hard behind the scenes in the lead-up to this event. We are incredibly proud to continue this tradition for our young people, especially when many schools have had to retire such celebrations. Our current Year 10 students watched eagerly, already looking forward to their turn in 2026!

With exciting times and enhanced learning opportunities ahead, Business Manager Judith Murfitt and I met today with Iliya Illevski, Principal Architect from Baldasso Cortese, along with Andrew Grindley, Manager: Planning & Infrastructure and Brendan Chalmers, Capital Works Project Delivery Officer from Catholic Education Ballarat (CEB), to advance the next stage of our $7.8 million Technology and Facilities Development.

This project includes a lift in the Middle School, new Technology facilities, upgraded amenities, office spaces, and a dedicated gathering space. We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Federal Labor Government through a $5 million Catholic Capital Grant, which makes this development possible.

Keep an eye out for the concept designs—we are planning for construction to commence soon, with the goal of having the new facilities ready for use in early 2027!

MRC OPEN DAY

We warmly invite all prospective 2026 Year 7 families and familes from all other year levels to our Open Day on Wednesday, 26 March.

Please see the poster below for more information, and register for a session here.

Our Year 10 students are busy finalising their Work Experience placements for the final week of this term. Work Experience is an important part of learning, providing valuable insights into the world of work, bridging the gap between school and future careers. Students explore different industries, gain practical skills, and develop workplace confidence. Work experience also helps students make informed subject choices for their senior years of schooling and fosters independence, responsibility, and resilience, equipping students with skills that will benefit them beyond school. I thank the community work places and employers for making this opportunity available to our Mercy students.

It is a pleasure to acknowledge the students below:

Well done Royce R. and Charlotte D. who were part of the winning team in the grand final of Cobden's Junior Tennis Competition 24-25 on the weekend. Royce also won the award for best 1st year player and winner of most games won!

Congratulations to student band “Re-spin” featuring Lenny S., Orson C. and Aiden V. who played at Timboon TRACKS event and then again yesterday at Colac’s Kana Festival. Awesome effort!

Well done to Rusty P. who was Junior Formula 500s winner and Hugo C. for coming 6th!

Tyra S. competed on two horses in the Showjumping and Showhorse at the Heytesbury Show in the interschools class. She took out 2 of the track prizes, placing in all sections of jumping and being awarded champion rider. Well done Tyra!

Great work Indi C. who played in the U17 Netball State Titles, finishing 4th out of 18 regions competing. Well done Madi, Kiara and Issy who played in the U15 Netball State Titles, finishing 5th out of the 18 regions competing.

Well done George S. who won Div 4 cricket for Pomborneit winners of the Colac district Division.

Congratulations to Clem W., Jack C. and Rhys D. who won their U13 Cricket Premiership for Mortlake.

Fantastic work Tyra S., Charlotte H. and Evie M. who were cricket Premiers for Bookaar.

If you know of any students doing great things in the community, please let us know at office@mercy.vic.edu.au

I remind families that students at MRC will return to school in Term 2 on Monday 28 April. For learning this will be a Week 2 of the timetable. Staff will participate in 3 days of Professional Learning in the previous week, collaborating with our colleagues from Trinity College Colac. College Reception at McAuley campus Camperdown will be open for enquiries.

We keep former Principal Dr Andrew Watson in our prayers and send our condolences on the passing of his father Jim.

With kindness,
Sharon Gillett - Principal

Learning at MRC

Term 1 is flying by quickly and we are at the point in the Term when you will start to see Assessment Tasks and Class Tasks appearing on your child's PAM (Parent Access Module) Learning Areas.

The purpose of both Class tasks and Assessment tasks is to keep you informed of your child’s progress in each subject.

Class tasks tend to be smaller day to day tasks that allow the students to demonstrate their understanding as they work through a unit of work. Success is communicated using a variety of different scales, which is determined by the nature of the task.

Assessment tasks are formal assessments for each unit of work. They will also appear on each student's End of Semester Report. For Year 7 to 10 they are reported using the Year 7 to 10 Grade Descriptors and associated percentage score, whilst for VCE they are a raw score and associated percentage.

For those of you who have had students at Mercy in the past you will notice that there has been a change to the Year 7 to 10 Grade Descriptors for Assessment Tasks. They will now have a percentage written beside the Grade Descriptors. You will also see a wider range of words or Grade descriptors used to communicate to both you and your child their level of success on the Assessment Tasks.

We hope that this will provide greater clarity for both students and parents around the level of success being achieved by the student.

I encourage you to regularly check the Parent Access Module (PAM) where you will be able to see your child’s results and monitor their progress. Please reach out to your child’s teacher or myself if you have any questions.

Leanne Delahunty - Director of Learning and Teaching

SENIOR SCHOOL

Unit 3 ODE Excursion

Recently, the Unit 3 Outdoor Education class from Mercy Regional College ventured to Port Fairy and the Tae Rak Aquaculture Centre. This excursion provided students with the opportunity to examine both European influences on the landscape and the deep cultural significance of Indigenous aquaculture, gaining a richer understanding of how humans have shaped and interacted with the environment over time.

Our first stop was Port Fairy, a town with a rich maritime history. As we explored Griffiths Island, we observed the impact of European settlement on the landscape. Originally a hunting and fishing ground for the Gunditjmara people, the island was later transformed for whaling and sheep grazing by early European settlers. The construction of the Port Fairy lighthouse and the introduction of non-native plant species further altered the island’s ecosystem. Walking the trails, we discussed how these changes affected native flora and fauna and considered the long-term environmental consequences of colonisation.

From Port Fairy, we travelled to Tae Rak (Lake Condah), home to one of the world’s oldest known aquaculture systems. Here, we joined a cultural tour led by our guide Joey, who shared his knowledge about the sophisticated network of eel traps, channels, and weirs—structures carefully designed to sustainably harvest eels for thousands of years.

We learned that the Gunditjmara people engineered these traps by manipulating natural water flows, creating a system that allowed them to farm and store eels in stone-walled ponds. This method not only provided a reliable food source but also reflected an advanced understanding of environmental management and sustainability.

In addition to the eel traps, we explored the remains of ancient stone huts, which provided shelter for the Gunditjmara people and are some of the oldest examples of permanent dwellings in Australia. These huts, built from basalt rocks, challenge the misconception that all Aboriginal people were solely nomadic.

Another stop was the smoking tree, an important cultural feature used by the Gunditjmara for preserving eels. By hollowing out sections of specific trees and using them as natural smoking chambers, they could cure eels for long-term storage and trade—demonstrating an impressive level of food preservation knowledge. From here, students will use these as examples in their logbooks and write about them in their upcoming SAC in week 7.

VCE Chemistry

Our VCE Chemistry classes have been busy in the science labs!

Year 12s have been learning about redox reactions and how they can be used to produce electricity via galvanic cells. Students had the opportunity to create several half cells and compare the voltage produced.

Year 11 students recently combined different ionic solutions - many of which produced precipitation reactions - as part of their learning about ionic compounds and how we can predict their solubility.

JUNIOR SCHOOL

Year 8 STEAM

Students in our Year 8 STEAM class have been looking at the engineering components associated with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics).

Recently they were asked to create a LEGO bridge with enough strength to withstand the weight of a full water bottle. Some creative techniques were used to achieve this!

YEAR 8 French

On her return from Europe, Ms Socha presented a slide show of her top 21 photos to all year 8 students and described each photo in easy French. Here are some students of 8A inspecting images of the Eiffel tower (la tour Eiffel) taken from underneath, a medieval bridge castle (Porte des Allemands) in the French town of Metz, a dish of frogs' legs (cuisses de grenouille) and a chocolate banana boat (banane au chocolat), a delicious French dessert.

Community & Wellbeing at MRC

Useful Wellbeing Links:

MRC SchoolTV

Faith at MRC

St Patrick’s Day

St Patrick holds deep significance for a school founded by the Mercy Sisters, as his life and mission reflect the same spirit of faith, compassion, and service that underpins the Mercy tradition. As the patron saint of Ireland, St Patrick’s legacy of evangelisation and his commitment to spreading the Gospel mirror the work of the Sisters of Mercy, who brought education and care to those in need. His courage in returning to the land where he was once enslaved, driven by a vision of love rather than vengeance, speaks to the heart of Mercy values—responding to injustice with transformative compassion.

For a Mercy school, like ours, St Patrick’s story is not just historical but a living example of how faith can inspire action. Like Catherine McAuley, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, Patrick responded to God’s call with boldness, bringing hope and education to the people of Ireland. His use of familiar symbols, such as the shamrock, to teach profound truths reflects the Mercy commitment to making faith accessible and relevant. As students and staff in a Mercy school, we are invited to follow his example—embracing our faith with courage, working for justice, and sharing the love of God in practical, meaningful ways.

Lent

Lent is a sacred time at Mercy Regional College, calling us to reflection, renewal, and action in the spirit of Catherine McAuley’s vision of compassion and justice. Just as Jesus spent forty days in the desert preparing for his mission, Lent invites us to pause and examine our own lives, seeking to grow in faith and love. The traditional Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving align with the Mercy values of service and solidarity, reminding us that our faith is not just about personal sacrifice but about opening our hearts to those who suffer.

At Mercy Regional College, Lent is not only a season of self-discipline but also a call to live out the Gospel through acts of kindness and justice. Catherine McAuley believed that true faith was expressed in service to others, particularly the poor and marginalised. This Lenten journey challenges us to embody her legacy by choosing love over indifference, generosity over selfishness, and hope over despair. As we move toward Easter, we are reminded that Lent is not just about giving things up—it is about giving more of ourselves to God and to others in a spirit of mercy and compassion.

Caritas Project Compassion

Classes are busy planning fundraising ideas for Project Compassion.

This week through Project Compassion, we learn about Toefuata'iga from Samoa.

Toefuata'iga, a 13-year-old student in Samoa, faced severe challenges and disruptions to her learning due to water scarcity. After Caritas Australia’s partner Caritas Samoa installed a 10,000 litre water tank at her school, Toefuata'iga and her classmates saw improved health and more consistent class attendance.

“I would like to become a good teacher. To teach the children so they will have a brighter future,” Toefuata'iga said.

▶️ Watch Toefuata'iga’s story here: https://vimeo.com/1051027125

🙌 Support Project Compassion today: www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion

#projectcompassion

Melanie Bourchier - Director of Catholic Identity & Culture

Sports Report

On Wednesday 5th March our Senior Boys Cricket team travelled to Victoria Park, Ballarat to play three games in warm conditions.

Our first game was against Emmanuel College Warrnambool, who won the toss and elected to bat. Their opening pair batted very well and gave us an imposing target of 166 to chase. Despite the best efforts of Campbell W. who made 58, we could only manage 130 against a strong bowling attack.

Our second game against Phoenix College was a much closer contest. MRC won the toss and elected to bat. Our batting order was a little different but we managed a good score of 97. Max H. made 54 not out in this innings. In reply Phoenix College could only manage 5-79.

Our final game against Holy Trinity Lutheran College came down to the last over with MRC chasing down the score 104 with 2 balls to spare. Strong contributions from Campbell W. (38), Parker W. (22) and Sonny P. (33) ensured we were close enough for Cooper H. to pass the total with a 6.

Well done to all the boys who represented Mercy Regional College.

College Notices

Time and Space Evening

A Time and Space Evening for mothers, mother figures and mentors of our Year 7 & 8 students will be held on Wednesday, 30 April 2025 at 6.45pm for a 7pm start (Week 2 of Term 2).

Please secure your place by registering via this link. Simply follow the prompts and click submit at the end. Upon completion, you will receive a confirmation email from Time & Space, which will also include details about bringing a 'treasure' to the event.

Upfront Payment Discount

A discount of $150 per student is available for family fees that are paid in total by the new date: 21 April 2025. Please note that this amount is pro-rata for split family accounts.

2025 Tuition Fees Letter

2025 Tuition Fees and Levies Statement

SCHOOL SAVINGS BONUS

The School Saving Bonus is available to Catholic School Students who are also eligible for the Camps, Sports and Excursions assistance (CSEF), through their parents/ caregivers holding a means tested concession card. The School Savings Bonus provides $400 in support for eligible school-aged students for use on 2025 school associated resources, costs including information technology, computers, camps, and online resource cost, this money is paid to the school.

We request families apply for the Camps sports and excursions fund, to enable them to access the School Savings Bonus.

Please contact the Business Manager to discuss the School Savings Bonus.

CSEF_application_form.pdf

Careers

Please see the latest edition of Careers News below.

Weekly Career News 17th March 2025

Useful Careers Links:

Mercy Careers

https://studyworkgrow.com/

https://vtac.edu.au/

Kym Penry - Careers and Pathways Leader

Library News

Students test their knowledge in lunchtime Trivia Quiz

Which metal is liquid at room temperature?

What is the capital of Berlin?

Which sport is associated with the Bledisloe cup?

Year 7 and 8 students had some very competitive fun at lunchtime last week with a general knowledge trivia quiz.

The quiz was so closely contested we required a second round play off after two teams finished with equal scores. Our eventual winners were Halle, Cristianna, Sapphire and Jayde of Year 8 with Ruby, Florence, Aliviah and Sophie of Year 7 coming a very close second.

Genrefication

We are in the process of ‘genrefying’ our fiction collections in the Library. Rather than all of the fiction books being filed by author name, they will be shelved in a similar way to a bookshop under seventeen genre headings.

There are many benefits to genrefying a library collection. It makes finding books easier for everyone, increases browsing satisfaction, increases borrowing and is especially helpful for reluctant readers. Encouraging a lifelong love of books in young readers is an essential part of every Library and allowing students to find the books that they love faster is a great start.

Book of the Year Notables

The Childrens’ Book Council of Australia has released its notables lists for 2025, with the shortlists for book of the year to be announced on 25 March. In the older readers category the notables list is as follows. We have many of these titles available in the Library.

A Way Home by Emily Brewin (MidnightSun Publishing)
A Wreck of Seabirds by Karleah Olson (Fremantle Press)
Birdy by Sharon Kernot (Text Publishing)
Comes the Night by Isobelle Carmody (A&U Books for Children and Young Adults)
Deep is the Fen by Lili Wilkinson (A&U Books for Children and Young Adults)
Eleanor Jones Can’t Keep a Secret by Amy Doak (Penguin Random House Australia)
I Hope This Doesn’t Find You by Ann Liang (Penguin Random House Australia)
I’m Not Really Here by Gary Lonesborough (A&U Books for Children and Young Adults)
Into the Mouth of the Wolf by Erin Gough (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland (Penguin Random House Australia)
Kate Forsyth’s Long-Lost Fairy Tales by Kate Forsyth, illustrated by Lorena Carrington (New Dawn Publishing)
Liar’s Test by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Text Publishing)
Look Me in the Eye by Jane Godwin (Lothian Children’s Books)
Maria Petranelli is Prepared for Anything (Except This) by Elisa Chenoweth (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
My Brother, Finch by Kate Gordon (Riveted Press)
My Family and Other Suspects by Kate Emery (A&U Books for Children and Young Adults)
Return to Sender by Lauren Draper (Macmillan Australia)
The Skin I’m In by Steph Tisdell (Macmillan Australia)

Canteen News

Orders to the Canteen at both Campuses can be made online via the Spriggy Schools app: https://www.spriggyschools.com.au/

McAuley campus orders will be processed by our on-site canteen, and O'Keeffe campus orders will be processed by 'The Shed' in Noorat.

2025 Production 'Cinderella'

Auditions for 'Cinderella' will take place tomorrow (Thursday) at the McAuley campus and Friday at the O'Keeffe campus.

A reminder that auditions will be a relaxed, supportive environment - we want students to do well!

Students who are unable to attend auditions must contact Toby (tmckenzie@mercy.vic.edu.au) ASAP please for an alternative arrangement.

If a student is still interested in joining the on-stage cast, but didn't submit an EOI, they MUST contact Toby (tmckenzie@mercy.vic.edu.au) by tonight (Wednesday).

MRC Production Booklet 2025