MRC Newsletter - Issue 6 - 3 May 2023

Prayer

Principal's Message

Welcome back to Term 2! I do hope you had an enjoyable Easter and for those who have some time off, a restful break. I had the wonderful opportunity of attending a most beneficial learning and teaching conference in Singapore with DP Natalie Stephenson. Natalie provides a summary later in the Newsletter. Whilst Singapore was very hot, we are definitely noticing the change of seasons to Autumn with the beautiful red, orange and yellow leaves on our trees and crushing underfoot. In the Gariwerd calendar we are in Gwangal moron or Honey Bee season with a gradual cooling of the country, cooler mornings, red sunrises and golden evenings. A beautiful time of year.

It was wonderful to see the presence of so many students, families, and staff at the ANZAC Day observances across our region. Your participation and support were greatly appreciated, and it was impressive to see so many of our young people wearing their College uniform with pride. A special thank you to those who volunteered and took an active role in reading, singing, and supporting services.

As a Mercy community, we came together at both campuses on Wednesday to honour the memory of those who have served our country and the many who have lost their lives in military operations around the world. Our thoughts and prayers were with the families of those who have served, and we recognise those former MRC students who have more recently joined the armed forces, such as Georgia Vick, Imogen Marsland, Tadgh Dwyer, Gryff Dwyer, and Calvin Corpuz. Let us always remember the bravery of those who serve their country and sacrifices, and may we continue to honour their legacy.

We extend a warm welcome to our new staff members who have joined us for Term 2, including Leah Sinnott, Jay Jay Baird, and Toby McKenzie. Although some of them began their tenure with us towards the end of Term 1, we are pleased to formally introduce them to our school community. We are also excited to announce that Troy Stephens has taken on the role of Grounds and Maintenance Officer, and Shane Scanlon will be joining us as our new Property Manager on Monday 15 May. We look forward to working with them both and are confident that they will make valuable contributions to our team. In addition, we would like to extend a warm welcome to William (Bill) Cornelissen, who has joined our property team at O’Keeffe campus. We also welcome our French Language Assistant Lola Dussart. We are pleased to welcome back Bec Rees from her leave. Meanwhile, Lesa Thornton is on well-deserved leave for the entire duration of Term 2. I express our gratitude to our wonderful casual relief teachers who always come forward and help out when needed. We appreciate their willingness to step in and keep our school running smoothly.

Despite its short duration of only 9 weeks, Term 2 is a busy time at the school with many annual events and celebrations taking place. These include the HSSSD Athletics, MRC and HSSSD Cross Country, State Golf, and HSSSD Netball and Football competitions, as well as GWR events for qualifying teams in each sport. Additionally, Year 10 students have their Retreat, while all Year 12 students (inclusive of VCAL/VM) and those Year 11 students also studying a VCE Unit 3/4 sequence will sit for their GAT on Thursday 15 June. The GAT is an important part of the VCAA assessment process. On this day, all teaching staff will have a Professional Practice Day for correction and report writing, and the only students present at school will be those completing the GAT.

We are delighted to host our Jubilee MRC Feast Day on Wednesday 24 May, where we will pay special tribute to former parish priests and principals during our Mass to celebrate our Jubilee year. Moreover, we will acknowledge the contribution of the Sisters of Mercy during our Mercy Mass in Term 3. We will celebrate MRC Diversity and Inclusion Week 15-19 May followed by Catholic Education Week 22-26 May. To assist families with planning ahead, I urge everyone to refer to our College calendar on PAM and to read The Week Ahead publication for Junior, Middle, and Senior School communities.

Tonight, we are thrilled to host 64 families of Y 7 & 8 students at our inaugural Time and Space event at O’Keeffe campus. This event is facilitated by Time and Space - Treasured Connections, where it will provide a unique opportunity for students to spend quality time with a significant female person in their lives. We are excited to announce that in 2024, students in Y 7, 8, and 9 will have a similar experience with male significant figures.

We would like to remind parents and carers that our Semester 1 Parent/Teacher/Student learning conversations will take place next week on Tuesday afternoon and all day Wednesday. To enable our young people to participate in the learning conversations with their parents/carers, there will be no formal classes on Wednesday. All interviews will be conducted online this year using Google Meet. We have shifted to this model after seeking feedback from families, where 90% of the responses were in favour of conducting the interviews online. We appreciate your cooperation and support in making this transition, which will provide a safe and convenient platform for our learning conversations. If these times are inaccessible to you, please contact your child’s teacher as learning conversations do not need to wait for a specific date and time. We would like to extend our gratitude to our teachers for their valuable time and efforts in making this partnership with parents, carers, and students a success in the interest of optimised learning outcomes. We will evaluate how this model has worked in the coming weeks, and we encourage everyone to contribute to our feedback.

In recognition of student achievements, we are thrilled to congratulate Lizzie J, Y 12, and Tyra S, Y7, for their participation in the Victorian Schools Equestrian Championships over the term break. Both students represented MRC with great skill and professionalism, and we are proud of their exceptional performance. We are especially thrilled to announce that Lizzie  has been selected to represent Victoria in the Show Hunter division at the National Schools Championships in Werribee this September.

We would also like to acknowledge Matilda D, who recently swam in the SSV State Finals in Breaststroke. Matilda swam a most competitive time, and we are proud of her impressive achievement.

There was brilliant participation and House spirit demonstrated at our O’Keeffe Cross Country on Tuesday. The rain cleared just long enough for the event to proceed. Congratulations to our age group champions for 2023 - U13 Girls Lucia C, U13 Boys Gus F, U14 Girls Piper S and U15 Boys Paddy H.

We would like to recognize Pippa W and Henry S, both Year 11 students, for their involvement in the CEP Rural Youth Ambassador program in Melbourne last week. Their participation in this prestigious program demonstrates their commitment to leadership and community service, and we are proud to have them represent MRC. Congratulations to all of these exceptional students on their outstanding achievements.

As you are already aware, our upcoming MRC Production is The Addams Family, and we have some exciting news to share regarding the cast. We are pleased to announce the cast leads, and auditions are still ongoing for the ancestor roles and ensemble. We encourage students in Y 7 & 8 to participate and also welcome those who are interested in off-stage roles.

Leads

Wednesday- Madidi M
Morticia- Elli C
Gomez- Valeria MM
Pugsley- Matéa M
Alice- Maddison S
Mal- Kane M
Lucas- Dylan L
Thing- Matilda C
Grandma- Piper K
Lurch- Marshall M
Fester- Ned D

Lead Ancestors:

• Jess M
• Poppy C
• Kiara L
• Greta D

We extend our sincere gratitude to Red Door Productions for their invaluable partnership in making this production possible. We also appreciate the hard work and dedication of staff members Claire Virgona, Mel Simmonds, Toby McKenzie, and Tia Stinchcombe in bringing this project to fruition.

I would like to introduce you to the MRC School Advisory Council members. The council is comprised of Shane West (Chair), Stephen Sinnott, Xavier MacKinnon, Olga Petrovskaya (Finance Committee Rep), Alison Kenna (HCSN Rep), Greg Conheady, Fr Neville Stanislaus, and Fr Gary Jones (Parish Priests). They represent the voices of parents, parish members, alumni and the wider community within the school, and their input is highly valued by the school. The council meets six times annually, with two meetings in Terms 1 and 4 and one meeting in Terms 2 and 3, showing a commitment to regular communication and collaboration between the school and its stakeholders. Should you have any questions, ideas or concerns, please feel free to contact any of these advisory council members.

Finally, DOBCEL our governing body is seeking expressions of interest for positions on DOBCEL Consultative Committees:

" The DOBCEL Board provides opportunities for members of the diocesan education community, and others with relevant expertise, to participate in the mission of DOBCEL, to assist its governance and decision making and to inform faithful stewardship of the mission through DOBCEL Consultative Committees.

A range of vacancies exists across the DOBCEL Consultative Committees. These committees are an invaluable opportunity to ensure that the work of the Board and CEB reflects the needs of DOBCEL school communities right across the Diocese. Typically, the committees meet once each term for a duration of 90-120 Minutes. The opportunity exists to attend face-to-face or virtually.  For volunteers to the organisation, compensation for expenses is available. 

Opportunities exist for parents/guardians/carers with a child/children enrolled in a DOBCEL School to join one of the following; 

• Catholic Faith Community & Culture Consultative Committee

• Children & Young People Safeguarding & Wellbeing Consultative Committee

• Family and Community Engagement Consultative Committee

• Learning and Teaching Consultative Committee

In the event of multiple nominations, the Board will invite Consultative Committee members on the basis of the general balance of the committee, taking into account factors such as gender, diversity, skill mix, location, school size, etc.

For more information please contact Jo Mckee jmckee@dobcel.catholic.edu.au.

With kindness

Sharon Gillett
Principal

Learning at MRC

Welcome back to school for Term 2. Over the break, Sharon and I were fortunate to attend an incredible global education conference in Singapore for three days. We heard from world renowned educational researchers, thinkers and change agents and had an opportunity to gather with friends and colleagues from other schools both locally and internationally to discuss how to lead our communities into the future. One of the speakers was Australian educational researcher John Hattie. Hattie is well known for his work on effect sizes in education - measuring what works best in schools to ensure that each young person achieves a year’s worth of growth in learning for a year’s schooling. Hattie has this to say about the impact of parents and carers on a child’s learning progress:

Parents are not “first teachers” but “first learners” – as the parents learn, so do their children. Parental expectation about learning is among the most powerful home influences, and the home needs to promote a “language and love of learning”.

This means parents talk to their children about their learning at school and home. This also means they enjoy the struggle, failures and successes when learning together, and set fair boundaries to take on increased challenges and learning safely.

This might mean being clear about what success looks like for a child cleaning their room. It might mean allowing multiple opportunities to succeed, and talking about errors and failure as opportunities to learn.

We all know from experience that trying to ask about learning with an adolescent is easier said than done. Questions such as ‘How was school today?’ and ‘What are you learning about at the moment?’ might get you a one word grunt at best. Here are some tips to get the most out of those conversations:

1. Ask open-ended questions: Instead of asking questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no," try to ask questions that encourage your adolescent to share more about their experiences. For example, you can ask, "What was the most interesting thing you learned in class today?"
2. Listen actively: When your child  is talking, make sure you are fully engaged and actively listening. Don't interrupt them or try to finish their sentences for them. Show that you are interested in what they have to say by nodding and making eye contact. Car trips are great for getting them talking (especially boys).
3. Show empathy: Adolescence can be a challenging time, and sometimes your child may feel frustrated or overwhelmed with their schoolwork. Show empathy and understanding by acknowledging their feelings and offering support. Ask them who they can reach out to for help. 
4. Avoid judgment: Try to avoid criticising or judging your adolescent's performance. Instead, focus on their effort and progress, and offer constructive feedback and encouragement.
5. Be positive: Encourage your adolescent to see learning as a positive experience. Highlight their successes and celebrate their achievements, no matter how small.
6. Collaborate with teachers: Stay in touch with your child’s teachers and work together to support their learning. Attend parent-teacher interviews  and ask for regular updates on their progress.

As a mother of 3 children in 3 different schools (Year 4, Year 9 and Year 12) and a full time job, I have been guilty of not paying enough attention and assuming no news was good news. After averting some near crisis situations with my boys I began to develop a closer relationship with their teachers. My boys are good kids but like a lot of kids they will only tell half the story and do the bare minimum unless they know we are onto them. Developmentally, our young people are not equipped to self-regulate and self-manage at a high level. Those students that do are few. Despite their protests, our young people need our interest, our expectations and strong boundaries to support their learning growth. Next week, please take advantage of the opportunities to chat with teachers. You will be amazed at how your young person will rise to the challenge once they know we are all talking to each other. A letter was sent home via PAM last Friday outlining the process for making bookings. Bookings are open now and will close next Monday. Please know also that you don’t ever need to wait for formal events such as these to talk to teachers - email or call, we are happy to chat any time.

Parent / Student / Teacher Interviews

Parent / Student / Teacher interviews will be conducted online. The interviews will take place:

• Tuesday 9 May: 4 – 7pm
• Wednesday 10 May: 11.30am – 5pm

Learning@Mercy Leadership  Team -
Natalie Stephenson, Danae Fraser and Lydia Darcy

Year 8 'Give it a Go' Session

Year 8 students participated in a ‘Give it a Go’ Taster Session for our production of The Addams Family last week.

The session included some interactive theatre games, singing and movement activities.

Each class was also given a scenario to perform together in freeze frames. 

There is still time to join The Addams Family cast, as well as a range of off-stage roles, we encourage all students to give it a go!

Year 7 French

Our French assistant Lola Dussart took a video of students singing in French yesterday. Well done students in 7B!

ANZAC Biscuits

Our Senior VCAL class made ANZAC biscuits as part of some work last week in their Literacy class on ANZAC Day and commemoration.

Wombeteech Puyuun Memorial Garden

Our lovely learners in VM have continued their hard work in the Wombeteech Puyuun Memorial Garden. On Monday they worked in collaboration with Corangamite Shire workers to complete a significant amount of trimming of the internal and external circular garden beds and clearing the edging of the yellow buttons on the top pathway and internal beds. As you can see their hard work has paid off and the garden is in fine form!

Debating Team

Our debating team headed to Ballarat on the last day of Term 1. The senior team members were absolutely fantastic, with clear improvement in all speakers from Round 1. They lost by two points, but received great feedback. Unfortunately the junior team's debate was cancelled at the last minute, but they made a fabulous support crew!

Martha Spencer and Archer Visit

On the last day of Term 1, junior students at the O'Keeffe campus were treated to a special performance by visiting artists Martha Spencer and Archer.The two performers are making themselves a hit across the world and they recently played the Creswick Folk Festival to rave reviews. Martha is a singer-songwriter, mountain musician and dancer from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. She grew up in the musical Spencer family and learned to play several instruments (guitar, fiddle, banjo, bass, dulcimer, mandolin) and flatfoot/clog at a young age. Archer is a performer and writer of music that 'touches your soul'. His voice took us on a journey with an appreciation of the flora and fauna that rural and outback Australia has to offer as well as in First Nations language from The Kimberley. Archer says he's hoping his music will inspire or create something special for people's souls. Our young people also had the opportunity to play Archer's guitar at the end.

Year 9 Photography Excursion

Year 9 Photography students had a fabulous outing on their last day of Term 1. Students took in the panoramic views from the Camperdown Botanic Gardens and spent time exploring the gardens and utilising a range of composition styles to take a series of photographs.

Community & Wellbeing at MRC

Pat Cronin Foundation 2023

The Be Wise education programs don’t just introduce young people to Pat and his story but help them create solutions to Be Wise, Think Carefully and Act Kindly.

The experienced team of presenters and educators address the psychological, social and economic impacts of violent acts like the Coward Punch. They encourage students to reflect on attitudes and behaviours around anger and aggression and together they discuss strategies to deal with these issues personally, and as mates and bystanders.

The education presentations and programs are designed to leave participants feeling empowered to develop their own action plan to Be Wise and never use violence. 

Below is some more information for parents/guardians around what to expect and the outcomes of the seminar your son/daughter will be involved with on Tuesday afternoon.

A link to Pat's story and website is attached here for all parents/guardians to look over. https://patcroninfoundation.org.au/

Do it for Dolly Day - Friday 12 May

“Do it for Dolly” Day is an annual event held across Australia in May, which aims to raise awareness about the issue of bullying and its impact on mental health. The event was inspired by the memory of Amy “Dolly” Everett, a 14 year-old girl who took her own life in 2018 after being bullied. The day encourages people to wear blue, the favourite colour of Dolly, and to share positives messages on social media using the hashtag #doitfordolly. The event is organised by the Dolly’s Dream foundation, which was established by Dolly’s family in her honour to support initiatives that address bullying and youth mental health. 

On Friday 12th May, all Mercy Regional College students are encouraged to wear a touch of blue, whether that be socks, a hair tie or painted fingernails. All students are encouraged to bring a gold coin or two for a donation. There will also be wristbands on hand to buy for $5.00 each. All monies raised will go straight to the foundation to help continue the great work they are doing.

Faith at MRC

50c for Project Compassion

Thanks to all for your involvement and participation in the 50c for Project Compassion activity on the last day of term. All of the money that we raised will be sent off with our other Project Compassion fundraising efforts from the term.

Sam Clear -  Year 7 Faith Day (Wednesday) and Seminar Day (Friday)

This week we are lucky enough to have Sam Clear come and work with our Year 7 students for their first Faith Day and with our Year 12s for their final Seminar Day. Sam walked around the world for unity. He is now a public speaker who inspires thousands of people to make a difference in the world around them with his story.

Below is a link to Sam’s website 

Sam Clear - Walk4one

Feast Day - Wednesday 24 May 

On Wednesday 24th of May (week 5) we will have a whole day of celebration with our students for our Feast Day for ‘Our Lady Help of Christians’ - it is also during Catholic Education Week.

Students are permitted to wear casual clothes on the day. Students are asked to bring some white/light coloured old clothing for the ‘MRC Diversity Dash’ which will happen in the afternoon. 

Please note there will be food and drinks available for purchase on the day - you are also welcome to bring your own food on the day.  Please keep an eye out for more information and details in the coming weeks.

Structure of the Day 

Mass - St Patrick’s Church 9:30 - 10:30 am

Extended Recess - oval 10:45 - 11:15 am (with some food available for purchase)

Alumni Guest Speakers - stadium 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Extended Lunch - MRC Oval (with food/drinks available for purchase) 12:30 - 1:30pm 

Diversity Dash - MRC Oval 1:30 - 2:45 pm

Our Diocesan Community

The latest edition of 'Our Diocesan Community' can be accessed via the link below.

Kellie Wilson - Catholic Identity, Mission & Ethos Leader
Jo-Anne Saunders - Liturgy Coordinator

Sports Report

HSSSD Athletics

Well done to all participants in the HSSSD Athletic Sports on Monday! The overcast weather didn’t dampen the spirit of the students and there was a great display of sportsmanship throughout the day. Thank you to the staff who helped organise and run a great day of sports with our neighbouring schools.

Library News

MRC Book Club

Everyone is welcome to join us for Mercy Book Club. All you need to do is: read the book, register to attend (no cost involved) and come along to a friendly social get together for discussion with fellow book-lovers.

 When? 6:30pm on Wednesday 21 June

Where? Terang’s Commercial Hotel. 

Who? Everyone is welcome 

Contact: Jean Christie via email for more information.

The Mercy Book Club for parents, friends and staff members has chosen another great book for Term 2. Limberlost, by award-winning author Robbie Arnott, is an especially  great read for anyone who enjoys descriptive writing. The story  is set in the author’s home state of Tasmania and is loosely based on the stories Arnott’s grandfather told and retold of growing up in the Tamar Valley. Arnott excels at making the landscape come alive with his writing.

Limberlost by Robbie Arnott: Publisher’s Synopsis 

“In the heat of a long summer Ned hunts rabbits in a river valley, hoping the pelts will earn him enough money to buy a small boat.
His two brothers are away at war, their whereabouts unknown. His father and older sister struggle to hold things together on the family orchard, Limberlost.
Desperate to ignore it all—to avoid the future rushing towards him—Ned dreams of open water.
As his story unfolds over the following decades, we see how Ned’s choices that summer come to shape the course of his life, the fate of his family and the future of the valley, with its seasons of death and rebirth.
The third novel by the award-winning author of Flames and The Rain Heron, Limberlost is an extraordinary chronicle of life and land: of carnage and kindness, blood ties and love.”

Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards 2023

The CBCA has announced the books that have been shortlisted for the Book of the Year Awards 2023. The following books have been shortlisted in the older readers (Ages 13 to 18) category. These books are available from the Library from both McAuley and O’Keeffe and they guarantee a quality read.

Eva Collins: Ask No Questions

Biffy James: Completely Normal (and Other Lies) 

Sarah Winifred Searle: The Greatest Thing 

Tom Taylor &Jon Sommariva: Neverlanders (Graphic Novel)

Hayley Lawrence: The Other Side of Tomorrow 

Mike Lucas: What We All Saw

Career News

Please see the link below to the latest edition of Career News.

Topics this week include:

 YEAR 12 STUDENTS

• ADF Gap Year applications now open! New roles have been added such as ‘military police’.
• UCAT ANZ – register for the test by
• Early entry programs at three universities you can apply for now

YEAR 11 & 12 STUDENTS

• TuteSmart Program – tutoring for senior students

YEAR 9 - 12 STUDENTS

• Upcoming career expos for students and families
• Work experience programs

ALL STUDENTS

• Competitions
• Top 20 trade/vocational occupations in 2019 – 2022
• Australia Harvard Model – UN Conference
• Upcoming career events and webinars
• Prerequisites for nursing, midwifery and paramedicine
• Exciting programs in engineering and hospitality
• Careers in the care and support sector

Year 10 Work Experience

Year 10 students ventured into the workplace in the last week of Term 1 during Work Experience. Students were able to learn about the world of work, whilst finding out more about themselves and their interests in the process!

We thank all businesses who hosted our students for their generosity, and our Work Experience team led by Ms Kym Penry for organising this worthwhile program.

Alumni News

Class Reunions 2023

2023 is a special year for CRC and MRC community. As the College is celebrating its 50th anniversary, we are hoping to see many of our alumni involved in events and festivities. And what year can be better to have a class reunion than the jubilee year? 

We are calling out to the graduating classes of milestone years who are due to have a reunion in 2023. 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 1978 – 45 Years Reunion
• Graduating Class of 1983 – 40 Years Reunion
• Graduating Class of 1988 – 35 Years Reunion
  
• Graduating Class of 1993 – 30 Years Reunion
• Graduating Class of 1998 – 25 Years Reunion
• Graduating Class of 2003 – 20 Years Reunion
• Graduating Class of 2008 – 15 Years Reunion
  
• Graduating Class of 2013 – 10 Years Reunion
• Graduating Class of 2018 – 5 Years Reunion
• Graduating Class of 2022 – 1 Year Reunion

Upcoming Dates and Events

Friday 5 May - Year 12 Seminar Day

Monday 8 May - HSSSD Cross Country

Tuesday 9 May - Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews - 4.00pm to 7.00pm - Online

Wednesday 10 May - Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews - No Classes

Friday 12 May - HSSSD Boys Netball (all ages)
                                  Junior Girls Football

Monday 15 May - Friday 19 May - MRC Diversity and Inclusion Week

Tuesday 16 May - HSSSD Intermediate/Senior Netball

Monday 22 May - Friday 26 May - Catholic Education Week

Wednesday 24 May - MRC Feast Day - All Day
                                             MRC Feast Day Mass
                                             GWR Boys Netball (all ages)

Friday 26 May - State Golf
                                  Year 9 Try A Career Day

Monday 29 May - GWR Cross Country

Thursday 1 June - HSSSD Boys Football (Yr 9)
                                      HSSSD Junior Girls Netball
                                     $20 Boss Market Day

Monday 5 June - Junklandia Performance (Year 7)

Tuesday 6 June - GWR Intermediate Football (Year 10)

Wednesday 7 June - Year 10 Retreat/Camp begins

Thursday 8 June - GWR Girls Football

Monday 12 June - King's Birthday Public Holiday - No Classes

Thursday 15 June - GAT (Unit 3 & 4 students and Year 12 VM)
                                         Correction & Report Writing Day - No Classes
                                         GWR Intermediate & Senior Soccer

Later in the Year:

Friday 18 August & Saturday 19 August - The Addams Family Production @ Theatre Royal

Saturday 25 November - MRC 50th Jubilee Day and Anniversary Dinner

Community Notices