MRC Newsletter - Issue 7 - 17 May 2022
Prayer
Principal's Message
A rainbow is glowing throughout Mercy Regional College this week as we recognise MRC Diversity and Inclusion Week. Inclusiveness, Community, Justice and Mercy and Care are four of our Mercy Core Values and are lived through our kindness towards all others in our immediate community of our staff, young people, parents, carers and families and our wider communities. Through the week we will recognise specifically the cultural, gender, religious and neurological diversity of our community. Students will participate in activities designed to enhance inclusion, respect and awareness of diversity and we welcome Bree Gorman to speak with our staff on Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace - Turning Good Intentions Into Meaningful, Measurable Change - which for staff in schools includes educating and creating safe, inclusive places of belonging for our young people. I share with you a small part of the extended piece written by College Social Worker Matthew Crane last newsletter.
'When we talk about diversity, we are talking about a fact of life: we are all different. When we talk about inclusion, we are talking about a deliberate act or choice in words and actions that enrich and enhance our community (Morgan, 2021). Whilst Mercy Regional College may seem mono-cultural, and certainly this has been the case in the past, the truth is that as a community, we come from a variety of backgrounds made up of different ethnicities including First Nations people, family structures, socio-economic backgrounds, neurodiversity as well as students, and families who identify with the gender diverse community. Members of our community would once have been majority Catholic; now, our community is made up of many different expressions of the world’s religions, and indeed, people of no faith. No two people in the MRC community are the same. We are as diverse in our backgrounds as we are in our interests, our tastes in music, our gifts and our talents. This diversity enriches our community.'
Matthew Crane
College Social Worker
Next week is Catholic Education Week in which we celebrate our Mercy Regional College Feast Day. Our chosen patron saint is Mary, Help of Christians and the actual feast day to celebrate Mary is 24 May. We will celebrate as a community on Wednesday 25 May. Year 7 students will participate in a Faith Day focusing on diversity of religious faiths; Year 12 students have a Seminar Day with guest speaker Nasir Sobani aka The Street’s Barber; all students will have the opportunity for an extended lunch with delicious lunch items on offer and we will celebrate together through our tradition with Mass at St Patrick’s Church in Camperdown. We are most pleased to be able to invite parents, carers and families to this celebration with the recently relaxed COVID-19 restrictions. Please sign in on entry. Vaccination evidence is not required.
Eighteen of our staff are participating in a leadership development course titled Mercy Leadership: Making a Difference. Facilitated by Dr Bern Nicholls, the program is co-created with participants to build leadership skills and experience and includes one on one coaching. With leadership development and building capacity one of our Annual Action Plan goals, this opportunity to collaborate together onsite without the need to travel or stay away from family overnight is proving most successful.
Our School Advisory Council (SAC) hosts our Annual General Meeting tonight at 7.00pm in the McAuley Boardroom, Camperdown. We thank John Pekin for his generous service and support over the last two years as he steps down and we welcome new SAC members Stephen Sinnott, Shane West and Greg Conheady. I thank Chair Julie Finney and all continuing SAC and Building, Planning and Finance committee members for their ongoing support and advice.
Our students continue to have the opportunity to enhance their learning through experiential and extra curricular activities. Year 8 students were on camp last week and thoroughly enjoyed the activities on offer at Camp Campaspe in Kyneton. The purpose of camps is to build relationships whilst providing an opportunity for students to participate in team work challenges which use adventure to build confidence, provide a sense of achievement and enhance positive attitude towards school and life. I thank the staff who gave their personal and family time to ensure our students have this opportunity on an annual basis. Students also participated in the RIST - Wool Industry Overview Program in Derrinallum, the HSSSD Cross Country, Year 11 Retreat, an excursion to Total Livestock Genetics and our Year 7 and 9 students completed NAPLAN testing. This fortnight sees students continue their involvement in Debating, a French excursion to the NGV, and HSSSD Netball.
Enrolment information and applications are now open on our website for potential Year 7 students for 2023 as well as students for any other year levels who may wish to join our Mercy Regional College community. We will host tours at our Noorat campus on Wednesday 18 May, Wednesday 1 June and Wednesday 15 June. Please contact College Registrar Nicole Darcy for further details. At Mercy, everyone is welcomed and included!
Finally, our community continues to be impacted with COVID and more recently cases of Influenza A and a severe cold with flu like symptoms. Our Year 8 Camp was significantly impacted last week. I thank the staff supervising our students for their care of all of those who became unwell and I thank our parents and carers for their support when asked to collect their children from school after an earlier return. Community and care in action. Please take care and if unwell do stay at home.
With kindness
Sharon Gillett
Principal
Learning at MRC
Parent Teacher Student Interviews
Many thanks to all of our families and carers who made time to speak with teachers last week - whether that be online on Tuesday or in person on Wednesday. It was lovely to see families able to come into the school to catch up with staff and each other after such a long period of restrictions. Hopefully those conversations were able to orientate, motivate and inspire our young people and further support our families in partnering with us to raise expectations in a supportive way. A reminder that if study habits or homework was an issue for your child, MRC offers support in the form of PASS at McAuley on Mondays and Wednesdays after school and Homework Help at O’Keefe at lunchtimes.
In order to improve our experience for families please contribute to this short and simple survey at the link below or if you would like to convey more comprehensive feedback please feel free to email Natalie Stephenson - Deputy Principal Learning, Teaching and Innovation.
NCCD (Nationally Consistent Collection of Data)
How Does It Assist Schools?
The NCCD is an annual collection of information about Australian school students with disability. The NCCD enables schools, education authorities and governments to better understand the needs of students with disability and how they can be best supported at school.
Reviewing Learning and Support Systems
The NCCD allows schools to better understand the functional needs of their students with specific learning needs. It captures the work of schools in providing personalised learning and support for students with specific learning needs who require adjustments due to the functional impact of these needs.
Providing Greater Understanding
The NCCD helps schools gain a greater understanding of their students with specific learning needs and identify areas of need for both students and staff.
Developing Professional Judgement
The professional learning available to support the NCCD process helps build the professional judgement of school teams who are required to provide educational adjustments for students with specific learning needs without relying on a medical or clinical diagnosis alone.
Recognising Support and Adjustments Provided
The NCCD helps to formally and consistently recognise the support and adjustments provided to students with specific learning needs as defined in the DDA.
VCAL Excursion to Narana Aboriginal Culture Centre
On Friday 6 May, our VCAL students participated in an excursion to Narana Aboriginal Culture Centre in Geelong. They learnt about Indigenous weapons, listened to the didgeridoo and tried their hand at throwing boomerangs. The group spent some time feeding and interacting with the local animals - kangaroos, wallabies, and emus. One of the most memorable experiences for all students was the tasting of the traditional bush foods - kangaroo, crocodile, emu, wattle, lemon myrtle, and river mint.
Narana promotes the reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to develop a better understanding of culture through community connections. The visit helped our students to understand the significance of the Indigenous Reconciliation Garden project they are undertaking as part of the 2022 VCAL curriculum.
Junior School Art
Our Year 7 Visual Art students have been exploring the element of line and generating a range of drawings inspired by insects. Year 8 Visual Art students are currently exploring printmaking with a focus on linocut works. The striking image featuring a zebra is the second test print created by Taleah from 8B.
Artwork by Matea from 7B
Artwork by Matea from 7B
Artwork by Taleah from 8B
Learning@Mercy Leadership Team - Natalie Stephenson, Danae Fraser, Lydia Darcy and Daniel Lee
Domain Leader of STEAM, VCAL Leader - Claire Virgona
Community & Wellbeing at MRC
International Day of Education Support Staff
On Monday 16 May, our MRC community celebrated the International Day of Education Support Staff. We took the opportunity to acknowledge and thank all those amazing MRC staff members who often work behind the scenes ensuring the smooth running of our College.
MRC Diversity & Inclusion Week
Please join us in celebrating the MRC Diversity and Inclusion Week. Every day this week, we will be focusing on a particular aspect of diversity on our social media, starting with Cultural Diversity.
The world is filled with people who have different beliefs, religions, traditions, and ways of living. It is within our differences that we find beauty. Both in educational and professional environments, diversity benefits everyone. It paves the way to a diversity of thought and perspectives that make interaction between people more interesting and dynamic. It builds strength of character, pride, and confidence. It teaches us to treat each other with empathy and compassion.
Cultural Diversity
Our Mercy community is vibrant and multi-cultural. We all have different backgrounds that determine our values, norms and behaviours. Our cultural diversity opens the door to new learning opportunities and the blending of ideas. As a College community, we create an environment where every culture is seen as unique and worth celebrating.
Gender Diversity - IDAHOBIT Day
Our students and staff at both campuses were involved in different activities today to mark IDAHOBIT Day - the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia. They wore bright colourful funky socks to raise awareness of LGBTQIA+ people in our community and make them feel included.
At lunchtime, rainbow cupcakes were a big hit. The cupcakes were creatively decorated by students and staff and symbolise the diversity of human gender. A rainbow flag will be flying all week at our campuses in support of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Cyber Safety Presentation at O'Keeffe
Youth Liaison officers from Warrnambool Police, John Keats and Brooke Pollock, visited our Junior Campus on 3 May to talk to Year 7 and 8 students about cyber safety. John and Brooke discussed with the students potential risks of using social media, the devastating impacts of bullying on young people and their families, and the strategies to support everyone involved in a cyber bullying incident.
The officers spoke about their background, giving examples of real-life situations and describing the ripple effect that positive online behaviours can have on others. Respect and reputation were a large part of the session and reiterated to our students the importance of care for self and others, both online and face-face.
Interschool Debating Competition
Our C-Grade debaters travelled to Geelong on Thursday 5 May. They competed against a strong team from Geelong's Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College and although they did not win on the night, it was a really positive experience for all involved!
Both A Grade and C Grade will be competing again tomorrow at Geelong Grammar School. We wish them all the best!
Healthy Lifestyle
Exercise
There are plenty of reasons why exercising regularly is beneficial and it’s important our young people are made aware of this. Exercise charges you up and 30 minutes or more of vigorous exercise releases endorphins in the brain, giving energy and vitality. Exercise also helps positivity and studies show it is a great way to manage depression. Not only does it regulate hormones but it can also help clear your mind of stress, confusion and worry. It’s also a great way to meet new people and to keep each other motivated. Most importantly it helps to put you in great stead for a good night’s sleep.
Maintaining a Balanced Diet
We know that maintaining a well-balanced diet is good for us because when we eat well, our energy levels are optimised, strength increases, we look healthier, and the chances of getting diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease decreases. So how can we encourage young people to change their eating habits? We can suggest they make a gradual process by starting with achievable goals, such as eating a salad or a piece of fruit each day. It is important for students to experiment with various healthy foods, not skip meals, eat three meals a day and limit processed snacks. We need to keep in mind that young people are likely to stick with a new healthy eating regime if they allow themselves to deviate every now and then.
Ergonomics
Students can optimise their academic performance by changing the way they interact with their ergonomic environment. By applying ergonomic principles in their daily routine, students can reduce muscular strain and work much more productively. Some simple ergonomic principles young people can incorporate into their daily lives include taking regular breaks, ensuring there is adequate lighting when they are reading or studying, and ensuring they distribute weight evenly in their school bag and avoid carrying it on one shoulder.
Wellbeing Team - Berni Sinnott, Sharon Suhan, Matthew Crane
O'Keeffe Community Leader - Emily Stephens
Domain Leader of English - Daniel Lee
Faith at MRC
Year 11 Retreat
Our Year 11 students participated in their Retreat on Friday 13 May. They spent the day in the company of a dynamic group of coaches from Youth Mission Team Australia, engaging in a series of fun activities.
The students were encouraged to appreciate the gift of their own uniqueness. They spoke about ‘integrity’ as the capacity to be true to themselves and their own values, regardless of the pressure that circumstances may place upon them. Year 11s agreed that integrity is one of the most valuable qualities of an effective leader, who is responsible for upholding the dignity of every person. The students reflected on how they can apply integrity to their own lives to lead others to do better things with compassion and justice.
Feast Day Celebration - Wednesday 25 May
A reminder that our Feast Day - Our Lady Help of Christians is coming up on Tuesday 24 May. We will be having a celebration of this event on Wednesday 25 May. All students will spend the whole day at the McAuley Campus. Please note that Year 8-11 students will have their normal classes during Periods 1-3 on this day. Year 7 students will have their Faith Day and Year 12s will participate in a Seminar Day.
During Period 4 we will have an extended lunch (12pm - 1pm) with some small activities on the oval and in the library.
There will be food and drinks available for purchase - sausages and chicken sticks cooked on the BBQ, loaded potato gems, milkshakes, Timboon icecream and other treats. The prices will range between $2 and $5. Students are also welcome to bring their own lunch on the day or order lunch from the canteen.
After lunch all students will go back to their classrooms for a short time and then walk over to St Patrick’s Church to celebrate Our Lady Help of Christians Mass that will begin at 1:30pm. Families are welcome to attend.
Year 7 Faith Day - Wednesday 25 May
The Year 7 Faith Day will be held at the McAuley Campus. The students will listen to a presentation from a guest speaker and will be involved in a number of activities related to the unit they are studying in Religion classes this term.
Year 12 Seminar Day - Wednesday 25 May
Our Year 12 cohort will have a guest speaker and other activities in the morning to mark their Seminar Day. The students will also be running a ‘Second Chance’ clothing stall in the MPA, with items available for purchase for $2-$5. All proceeds will go to the South Lismore Primary School in New South Wales that our College is supporting after the flood damage.
Kellie Wilson - Catholic Identity, Mission and Ethos Leader
Jo Saunders - Liturgy Coordinator
Sports Report
Interschool Clay Target Shooting
Our students had success at the interschool Clay Target Shooting competition in Colac on Wednesday 4 May. We congratulate them for finishing 3rd in the team event. Toby also placed 2nd in the Senior Boys competition and Harrison placed 1st in the Junior Boys event.
HSSSD Cross Country
Our cross country team enjoyed a wonderful day at the HSSSD Cross Country event on Monday 9 May.
Team Mercy performed exceptionally well, claiming the overall victory with 285 points. Many students finished the race in the top 15 of their age group and will be representing the College at the next round of competitions in Warrnambool.
Please join us in congratulating all participants, and especially the age group champions:
- U 13 Girls - Piper S
- U 14 Girls - Elsie S
- U 15 Girls - Tahleah M
- U 15 Boys - Archie T
- U 16 Girls - Kate S
- U16 Boys - Myles S
- U 17 Boys - Fred B
- U 21 Boys - Gryff D
A special mention goes to the students who won their age group races in the House Cross Country two weeks ago. Full results are included in the image below.
Year 8 Camp
Last week our Year 8 students made their way to Campaspe Downs Adventure Camp in the Macedon Ranges.
Our Year 8s navigated various activities that involved creativity, working as a team, facing fears, and stepping out of their comfort zone. They bravely took on the leap of faith, abseiling, and a giant swing. They problem solved through orienteering and raft building and showed great athleticism, competitiveness, and energy in aeroball!
An enthusiastic crew of anglers enjoyed dropping a line in to catch some redfin. And although the fish were thrown back in the water, there was plenty of photo evidence of the successful catch!
We are hopeful that the students will remember the achievements, triumphs and fun of their camp for many years to come.
We thank our staff for their hard work over the three days and all our Mercy families for their support with picking up students early.
Emily Stephens
O'Keeffe Community Leader
Library News
Premiers’ Reading Challenge
Students are invited to join the challenge of reading 15 books before the end of Term 2. This is an excellent opportunity for Year 7 and 8 students to improve their reading and support their independent learning. For more information please visit the library or see this link.
Reading Tips
Joys and benefits of reading aloud:
- Exposes your child to the melody of words, also the sound and sequence
- Can be soothing, invigorating, inspiring
- Enables you to convey feelings, emotions, your understanding or interpretation of it
- Communicates a sense of safety and security that allows our brain to open up the potential to learn
- All children, even the good readers like to be read to
- Encourages empathy
- Provides enjoyment
- Increases attention span
Courtesy of Professor Rosemary Johnston AM, University of Technology, Sydney.
Book Club
We would like to remind the College community that the next MRC Book Club is coming up on Monday, 6 June at 6.45pm for a 7pm start. Refreshments will be provided. The book is ‘The Power of the Dog’ by Thomas Savage. Come along and bring a friend! Please RSVP via the link below.
Maureen O'Loughlan
Library Manager
Lions Eye Health Program
Lions Eye Health Program (LEHP) is an initiative that Mercy Regional Collge is embarking on along with the Lions Club of Camperdown and Terang.
The Lions Clubs of Australia are hoping the follow the USA Lions Clubs initiative, where they preform 4 vision tests in every school of the 50 states of America. This initiative has been running in Australia for a few years screening children in Foundation and Grade 6. However due to COVID-19 these students have missed the opportunity. The 4 assessments will be completed under the supervision of a qualified Optometrist and Lions Club member. All members present on the day have the Working with Children’s check completed.
The individual screening only takes a few minutes to perform, there is no physical contact made with the child and no eye drops administered.
Each child is provided with an individual results sheet which will go home with your child.
Please note that these tests are only a screener and do not constitute an examination or diagnosis of vision problems. If the results sheet that comes home shows an indication of something to be looked at further, then you are advised to follow up with your local optometrist.
If you are a parent of a child in Years 9 to 12 and would like your child to have this assessment, please email Claire Walsh or call 5593 2011 to discuss further.
Learning Diversity Leader - Claire Walsh
Student Achievements
Matilda, Year 9
Please join us in congratulating our Year 9 student Matilda on successfully representing the College at the State Swimming Championships. Matilda became 5th best state-wide in the 50 m Breaststroke and 6th best in the 200 m Freestyle. This was a fantastic effort that brought our swimmer a new personal best record in the 200m Freestyle event. Well done Matilda!
Career News
Topics in Career News this weeks are:
Year 12 students
- Apply for university now! 6 universities have early entry programs open now
- UCAT ANZ – students applying for medicine and/or dentistry
- IT and Accounting scholarship programs now open at University of Technology Sydney
All students
- Amazing career expos
- Book a time with a university course adviser
- Careers in business and commerce
- Amazing business courses that offer up to a year of industry experience
- Careers with the Australian Federal Police
- Natural health courses
- Explore university and TAFE courses
- Regional University Centres
- Parent information session – how to support your child’s career development
- The Victorian Indigenous Engineering Winter School
- Monash University competitions and programs
- Dates for your diary – 2 pages of events!
Alumni News
Class Reunions
We are calling out to the graduating classes of milestone years who are due to have a reunion in 2022. If you are planning an event, please contact the College at alumni@mercy.vic.edu.au or 03 5593 2011. We will be happy to help you promote your event and organise a campus tour for your group.
- Graduating Class of 1977 – 45 Years Reunion
- Graduating Class of 1982 – 40 Years Reunion
- Graduating Class of 1987 – 35 Years Reunion
- Graduating Class of 1992 – 30 Years Reunion
- Graduating Class of 1997 – 25 Years Reunion
- Graduating Class of 2002 – 20 Years Reunion
- Graduating Class of 2007 – 15 Years Reunion
- Graduating Class of 2012 – 10 Years Reunion
- Graduating Class of 2017 – 5 Years Reunion
- Graduating Class of 2021 – 1 Year Reunion
We are also supporting the reunions that were postponed or cancelled due to COVID-19. If your class is due for a 40+1, 30+1, 20+1, etc. reunion, it’s a perfect time to get together in 2022!
Class of 1987 - 35th Reunion
Saturday 15 October 2022
The Class of 1987 are excited to get together and remember all the good times at their 35th reunion on Saturday 15 October. If you were part of that class, save the date and update your details on our Alumni database at the link below to receive news about the upcoming event.
Stay Connected
We encourage all our past students to update their details on the Alumni database by clicking on the link below. We would like our past students to stay connected with the College community and keep up-to-date with Alumni events and reunions. If you have any questions or suggestions relating to MRC Alumni, please contact Alumni Coordinator Katya Belokon at alumni@mercy.vic.edu.au.
Upcoming Dates and Events
Wednesday, 18 May - Year 9 French Excursion
Senior Boys Football
Tour of the O’Keeffe Campus
Inter-School Debating Competition
Monday, 23 May - Friday, 27 May - Catholic Education Week
Tuesday, 24 May - Mercy Feast Day
Wednesday, 25 May - Mercy Feast Day Celebrations & Mass
Year 7 Faith Day at the McAuley Campus
Y12 Seminar Day
HSSSD Intermediate/Senior Netball
HSCN SAC Dinner
Friday, 25 May - Year 9 'Try A Career' Day
Monday, 30 May - Friday, 4 June - Indigenous Perspective Adventure
Thursday, 2 June - Inter-School Debating Competition
Monday, 6 June - MRC Book Club
Tuesday, 7 June - Photo Day Catch Up
College dates for 2022 can be viewed through the Parent Access Module (PAM), including all term dates, student free days, camps and retreats.
Community Notices
St Colman's Primary School Online Raffle 2022
The St Colman's Online Raffle is on again this year. Tickets are $25 and there will be 600 available for sale. The raffle will be drawn on 20 June.
- First Prize: $3,000 voucher at Scotts Betta Home Living
- Second Prize: $1,000 Neighborhood Benefits Card from Acciona
- Third Prize: $500 voucher at Bates IGA Supermarket
You can support the fundraiser of our HCSN member school by buying your tickets on Trybooking.
Victoria Police Community Sentiment Survey
Victoria Police is hoping to engage with local communities through a public Community Sentiment Survey. Click on this link to complete the survey.
