Mercy News - Friday 10 February 2023
-
Key Dates
-
Prayer
-
Message From Our Principal
-
School Advisory Council
-
Student Executive Reflection: Welcome from our 2023 College Captains
-
Director: Religious Education and Identity
-
Deputy Principal
-
Director: Data, Innovation and Growth
-
School Communication
-
Health Updates
-
PAM Notices
-
2023 College Fee Statements
-
Year 7 News
-
Student Achievements
-
Music & Performing Arts
-
Homework Club
-
Community Notices
Key Dates
Saturday 11 February
- World Day of Prayer for the Sick
Monday 13 February
- Anniversary of Apology to Australia’s Indigenous People
- Monday Musical Rehearsals (3.30pm to 6.00pm) - Performing Arts Space, Mercy College
Tuesday 14 February
- SCSA Sports Leaders Breakfast
Wednesday 15 February
- Wednesday Musical Rehearsals (3.30pm to 6.00pm) - Rivergum Theatre, Parade College
Thursday 16 February
- Discover Mercy Open Day (Morning Session, 9.00am to 10.30am)
- Discover Mercy Open Day (Evening Session, 6.00pm to 7.30pm)
Friday 17 Febraury
- Year 7 Reflection Day
Saturday 18 February
- Discover Mercy Open Morning (10.00am to 11:30am)
Monday 20 February
- UN World Day for Social Justice
- Monday Musical Rehearsals (3.30pm to 6.00pm)
Tuesday 21 Febraury
- Shrove Tuesday
Wednesday 22 Febraury
- Ash Wednesday
- Commencement Eucharist (11.00am to 12.00pm)
- Wedneday Musical Rehearsals (3.30pm to 6.00pm)
Thursday 23 February
- Year 12 English Incursion: Performance of The Women of Troy
Prayer
2023 College Prayer
God of Mercy,
We pray that your forgiveness relieves us of our burdens and that we may lift the burdens of others.
Guide us to be excellent stewards of our common home and advocates for reconciliation.
Help us to always demonstrate radical hospitality; to feed the hungry and welcome the vulnerable.
Journey with us as we work towards building a community of justice; a Kingdom of God on Earth as it is in heaven.
Open our eyes to see the power in being compassionate for our neighbours and our enemies.
May the power of mercy over sacrifice lead us to be people of love and forgiveness.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Catherine McAuley, pray for us.
Message From Our Principal
WELCOME
We have had a wonderful start to the 2023 school year.
On behalf of all staff at the College, I would like to take this opportunity in print to welcome to our Mercy College learning community our Year 7 students and new students across Year 8 to 12, together with their families. We hope that our new students are settling in well and quickly feeling a valued part of our school community.
I also extend a very warm welcome to new staff who have joined our school community. We are blessed to have talented, dedicated and experienced staff joining us both in teaching and support roles. Our new staff will be introduced to our community via this newsletter over coming editions.
A new school year always reminds us of new beginnings, new possibilities. We re-focus on what our mission and aim is as a Catholic school in the Mercy tradition. We hope and pray all members of our College experience the learning community of Mercy College as a horizon of hope and a home of personal and intellectual nourishment.
We are excited by the initiatives for our College this year including our building works - all of which are intended to meet the educational needs of our students and community.
THE POWER OF MERCY
Our College theme for this year is The Power of Mercy. Mercy was the motivating power underlying the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley’s love. It was directed towards the weakest. She institutionalised her sincere love of neighbour in the Rule for her Congregation describing Mercy as “the principal path marked out by Jesus Christ for those who wish to follow his example”. As a community we will take up the challenge to experience the power of mercy by showing mercy to others in our day to day interactions.
FAMILIES AS PARTNERS
We know the three major contexts in which children learn are the family, the school and the community. Families are the first educators of their children. We recognise that, families are joined by a school on their child’s learning journey. This is when a long-term partnership between home and school begins.
In choosing to come to Mercy, parents enter a partnership with the school in which there is shared privilege and responsibility for the child’s faith formation, learning and wellbeing.
We were thrilled on Wednesday to have so many families join us for our Years 8 to 12 Individual Student Support Meetings and to host our Year 7 Welcome BBQ/Information Evening.
We look forward to more opportunities throughout the year where we will be involved in the three way learning relations.
COLLEGE ASSEMBLY - WELCOME YEAR 7 AND VCE TOP ACHIEVERS
On Tuesday we gathered for the first time in 2023 as a whole Mercy College community. We formally welcomed our Year 7 students and other new members of our community and acknowledged and celebrated the 2022 Year 12 graduates and some of our Year 11 students who have achieved significant success in their VCE / VCAL studies. Throughout their VCE years these students engaged with their learning, connected with their community and self-managed their progress.
Congratulations to Chloe Chahoud on being Dux of Mercy College. Chloe was also the Top Achiever for Further Mathematics and Visual Communication and Design. In Year 11 she was awarded the top achiever for Accounting Unit 3 and 4. This year Chloe will be commencing a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) at La Trobe University.
Below is a list of our VCE Top Achiever Award Recipients:
Lakisha Jayalath
Top achiever at Mercy College for Biology, Legal Studies and Psychology and achieved a study score of 42 in English. Lakisha will be commencing a Bachelor of Laws (Honours)/Commerce at Monash University.
Geraldine George
Achieved a study score of 40 in English and 41 in Health and Human Development. Geraldine will be commencing a Bachelor of Arts at the University Of Melbourne. She is also the recipient of the 2022 University of Melbourne Principal’s Scholarship. This award is made by the University to a student who has shown excellence in both academic pursuits and community leadership. As a recipient of this award, Geraldine is invited to participate in numerous mentoring programs and receives $5,000 to support her studies whilst undertaking studies in her undergraduate degree.
Thalia Constantinou
Achieved a study score of 43 in English and a study score of 42 in Studio Arts. Thalia was also the Top Achiever at Mercy College in Biology and Environmental Science.
Ayca Mizrak
Achieved a study score of 42 in Food Studies.
Anatolia Aktag
Achieved a study score of 40 in Health and Human Development.
Rebecca Donatelli
Achieved a study score of 40 in Italian.
Sandy Yalda
Top Achiever at Mercy College in Chemistry and Environmental Science.
Aarsee Adhikari
Top Achiever at Mercy College in EAL.
Alide Gorlin
Top Achiever at Mercy College in Biology.
Emilia Hajistathi
Top Achiever at Mercy College in Accounting.
Karen Manalo
Top Achiever at Mercy College in Religion and Society.
Mia Zomer
Top Achiever at Mercy College in Religion and Society.
Rhea Soans
Top Achiever at Mercy College in Music Performance.
Rojiyan Arslan
Top Achiever at Mercy College in Physics.
Amelia Dell‘Universita (Year 11, 2022)
Top Achiever in Health and Human Development with a study score of 44.
Lydia Faranso (Year 11, 2022)
Achieved a study score of 41 in Health and Human Development.
Natasha Ferguson (Year 11, 2022)
Top Achiever at Mercy College in Accounting.
Eva Brazzani (Year 11, 2022)
Top Achiever at Mercy College in Psychology.
Samantha Sana (Year 11, 2022)
Top Achiever At Mercy College in Arabic.
Maya Ibrahim (Year 11, 2022)
Top Achiever at Mercy College in Business Management.
Georgia Asmanis (Year 11, 2022)
Top Achiever At Mercy College in Dance (VCE VET).
PRAYERS: TURKEY AND SYRIA
This week we have been confronted by the horrendous images coming out of Turkey and Syria, where a 7.8 earthquake brought people from their sleep into the freezing cold and a day of winter. We pray for the victims and their families. May they find comfort in the love and support being expressed from all the nations of the world.
Let us never lose trust in the patience and mercy of God.
Lila McInerney
Principal
Families are invited to join us for our Commencement Eucharist which will take place on Ash Wednesday on Wednesday 22 February at 11.00am in McAuley Hall. Our Student Executive will also be commissioned at this time.
School Advisory Council
School Advisory Councils are an essential component of governing and operating Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. They provide a forum for consultation and participation for parish and school communities, ensuring that schools are accountable for the decisions they make.
The School Advisory Council at Mercy College provides a forum for discussion and discernment, where parent voice and community perspective are available to influence and support the decisions made by the Principal and parish priests for the good of the school where students’ wellbeing and outcomes are paramount.
The Mercy College School Advisory Council has the following membership:
- Executive Officers
- Parents - 2 representatives
- Alumni - 1 representative
- Parishioner - 1 representative
- Co-Opted Member - 1 representative
- Business Manager
- Mercy College Staff Member
- College Captains
If you have a strong commitment to the Catholic ethos of the College and an interest in and commitment to Catholic education, we warmly invite expressions of interest to join our School Advisory Council.
For more information, please contact the Principal’s Office on 9319 9264.
Student Executive Reflection: Welcome from our 2023 College Captains
Dear Parents, Guardians and wider community of Mercy College,
The 2023 school year has begun and so much learning has already taken place within Mercy. The Year 7s are still learning their new-found “normal” of high school, the Year 10 and 11s are navigating through their first glimpse of VCE/VCE-VM studies and the Year 12s are embarking on their final year of schooling. As this year continues, we hope that all students, especially our newly beloved Year 7s, feel welcomed into Mercy and that they continue to wear their ‘Mercy blue’ with pride.
This year, we are definitely using the term full steam ahead. Although we have encountered set-backs throughout the past few years due to COVID, we have commenced with all school activities including performing arts, sports, leadership positions and more. This has been seen within our Student Executive team already planning and working on upcoming events within our community. We plan to host school events and publicise them for all to join and showcase their talents.
As previously mentioned in our opening letter as College Co-Captains, our vision for 2023 is to ensure interconnectedness between all members of the community. We would like all students to strive for their own excellence and to be involved within the community. For our parents, we want to ensure that you are constantly aware of school events as we aim to make Mercy a community base. As a community, we endeavour to join together to ensure everyone feels safe and included here at Mercy.
We look forward to helping accomplish the aims of the community and working alongside much of the wider community throughout the course of 2023.
Lydia Faranso and Eva Brazzani
College Co-Captains
Director: Religious Education and Identity
2023 College Theme: The Power of Mercy
Staff and students at Mercy have enthusiastically launched our 2023 College Theme: The Power of Mercy, and have begun to unpack what this means for our community. Considering the Liturgical Year (the Year of Matthew), we draw inspiration from Jesus’ teachings that come full circle. Originally from Hosea 6:6, the teaching of: “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice…” is reinterpreted in Matthew when Jesus is in conflict with the Pharisees. Matthew depicts Jesus as one who teaches and enacts Hosea 6:6 in continuity with the original prophetic intention of this statement. Jesus teaches by example by enacting mercy towards the marginalised and people in need. He loves the way Hosea announces that God intends his people to love. Jesus Himself becomes the presence and source of mercy and teaches us to do the same. We draw inspiration from Matthew’s Gospel and look forward to exploring the transformative power of always enacting mercy.
As it states in our 2023 College Planner: In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus shows us the power of Jesus’ mercy over sacrifice in lifting our heavy burdens. We see the immense power in a radical love of our enemies whereby Jesus teaches us to become instruments of mercy: to disarm violence by approaching situations with forgiveness, to sit with the vulnerable, and to feed the hungry. In 2023, The Power of Mercy can lift all of our burdens.
“...Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” - Matthew 9:13
Staff began our Professional Learning Program with a session run by myself and Fr Elio Capra unpacking the theme, and continued to reflect on this message in our Commencement Eucharist. During our students’ Orientation Day, they spent a session learning about the theme by participating in a Vinnies Shoe Donation activity. Students had to consider what type of shoes they would donate to Vinnies, throw away, gift to a loved one, or gift to Jesus. After discussion and reflection, we ended the day with a student-led Homeroom Liturgy where they continued to reflect on how enacting mercy may lift their own personal burdens and the burdens of others. We look forward to walking alongside your daughters on their spiritual journey as we continue to reflect on The Power of Mercy.
Nima Ballenger
Director: Religious Education and Identity
Deputy Principal
To all members of the school community, I would like to welcome you to the 2023 school year, especially to the families of our new Year 7 students and to those new to the College this year from Years 8 to 12. The Year 7 students have had a great start with the support of the College Staff who have assisted in a smooth transition process. As we commence the new year, we look ahead with high expectations in what our students can achieve. As a College community we commit to creating a learning environment that will allow all students to strive for excellence in all that they do.
VCE Academic Awards
On Tuesday 7 February we gathered as a school community to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of the Class of 2022.
We congratulate all these students and wish the Class of 2022 every success in the future. In announcing these awards, it is important to acknowledge that these results reflect the hard work and commitment to excellence each of these students showed not only in Year 12 but throughout their time at Mercy College. It is also a result of the support and guidance provided to them from their peers, teachers and parents and as a community we should all be very proud of their efforts.
I encourage each of you to work hard, believe in yourself and be aspirational in committing to excellence. Like many of the students from the Class of 2022, chase your greatness and I wish each of you every success in 2023 and beyond.
Student Planner
A hard copy of the Student Planner has been distributed to all students from Years 7 to 12 to assist with organisation and study skills. We encourage parents/carers and students to utilise this valuable resource daily and ensure that homework tasks are recorded and completed.
NAPLAN Online 2023
Did you know NAPLAN is moving to Term 1?
The new NAPLAN testing window for 2023 is now from 15 to 27 March.
This means the results will be in the hands of education authorities and school systems earlier in the year to inform teaching and learning programs throughout the rest of the school year.
It will also give teachers more time to better assess what support students need for the rest of the year.
Check out the NAPLAN key dates for this year and beyond.
Mercy College will be conducting NAPLAN Online for Years 7 and 9 students on the following dates.
- Wednesday 15 March
- Friday 17 March
- Monday 20 March
Families will receive further detail about NAPLAN dates and times at Mercy College in the coming weeks.
VCE/VCE-VM Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences
The VCE/VCE-VM Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences will be held on Tuesday 28 February.
This is an opportunity for teaching staff at Mercy College to share with families their understanding of the needs of each VCE and VCE-VM student, working in partnership with parents, guardians and students to discuss strategies that will enhance the understanding of the course content. Such partnerships are essential to the success of each student and ensure that each girl can achieve their personal best.
We encourage all parents and guardians to make appointments with their daughter’s teachers. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in these interviews.
We look forward to meeting with you and your daughter and discussing how to best support and extend her to achieve her goals and ‘flourish’ in the learning environment.
Families will receive further correspondence outlining how to access and make bookings for the VCE/VCE-VM Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences.
Special Provisions within the VCE and VCE-VM
The VCAA Special Provision policy provides students in defined circumstances with the opportunity to participate in and complete their secondary level studies.
The underlying principle of the VCAA Special Provision policy is to ensure that the most appropriate, fair and reasonable options are available for students to demonstrate their capabilities if their learning and assessment programs are affected by disability, illness, impairment or other circumstances. Special Provision should provide equivalent, alternative arrangements, but not confer an advantage to any student over other students.
Applications for Special Provisions close on Friday 24 March 2023.
For further information please visit the VCAA website.
Nicholas Ambrozy
Deputy Principal
Director: Data, Innovation and Growth
New Beginnings
It is a pleasure and an honour to be given the position of Director of Data Analysis, Innovation and Growth. This role is in some ways unique to the College but brings together three key strands which highlight the commitment to moving forward at Mercy College.
The first is the Growth of the Mercy Community. Central to all of the actions of the College is the focus on growing the Mercy student academically, socially and spiritually. But for this to occur, growth must also be evident in the staff and the broader community.
Data Analysis is a key tool in the growth process. It allows us to monitor the individual progress of every student to inform our practice so that learning can be maximised. But it isn’t just student progress that is utilised but also that of the teachers, subjects and the school as a whole. A rich source of data helps to identify how successful we are and what areas require improvement.
Finally, Innovation is about bringing in those changes which will help students grow.
As the 2022 VCE results attest, the College is starting this process from a position of strength. The Class of 2022 and teaching staff have exceeded expectations according to the VCAA student development mapping.
Some of the highlights include:
- 4.9% of the grades achieved a study score of above 40.
- Scores above 40 were achieved in English, Food Studies, Further Mathematics, Health and Human Development, Studio Arts and Visual Communications.
- Year 11 students undertaking early VCE scored a median of 32.
- Students of VCE Food Studies scored a median of 33.
- The Class of 2022 showing above exemplary growth in literacy levels from Years 7 to 9 and finally VCE.
Lukasz Rabenda
Director: Data, Innovation and Growth
School Communication
From time to time parents may wish to contact College staff with matters relating to their daughter. The College encourages all parents to liaise with staff to support the wellbeing and learning of your daughter.
To facilitate effective and efficient contact and responses, we ask parents to please follow the table below regarding who best to contact:
Communication about… | Initial Contact | Secondary Contact |
A specific subject, assessment task or class work | Subject teacher | Learning Area Leader |
Student’s work progress over a number of subjects, her lack of focus or motivation, peer relationships | Homeroom Teacher or Subject Teacher | Learning and Wellbeing Level Leader or Learning Area Leader |
VCE/VCE-VM | Deputy Principal | Careers and Pathways Leader |
Tuition fees and charges | Finance Team | business@mercycoburg.catholic.edu.au |
Train or bus travel incidents | College Reception | Learning and Wellbeing Level Leader |
First Aid requirements | College Reception | Registrar |
The College encourages parents to contact the ‘initial contact’ staff member in the first instance. However, should you wish to discuss the matter further or believe it would be more appropriate to discuss the concern with a staff member other than the ‘initial contact’, please contact the ‘secondary contact’ staff member.
Should parents wish to discuss a matter with a staff member in person, an appointment must be made with that particular staff member. It is important to note that teaching staff spend most of the school day in class and often have before and after school meetings several days a week. They are therefore not always available for an interview or meeting with parents that has not been pre-arranged at a mutually convenient time.
Health Updates
Parent Access Module (PAM) Medical Information
It is important that the College has the latest medical information for your daughter. Please ensure this medical information is recorded accurately and updated when required.
Medical Profiles can be accessed through PAM by clicking on your daughter’s profile and selecting the Medical Profile tab.
Anaphylaxis - Epipens, Anapens and Excursions
Parents of students that are at risk of Anaphylaxis should be aware that, in response to Ministerial Order 706, it is College policy and a requirement of legislation that students who attend the College must have supplied the College with a valid Epipen or Anapen and a current Anaphylaxis Action Plan for their personal use.
In order for a student to attend an excursion or event off the premises, they must carry their individual College Epipen or Anapen and their spare Epipen or Anapen from home with them in order to attend that event. This is to ensure that sufficient medications are available should the student require them.
Parents/carers are required to update their daughter’s expired Epipen or Anapen and Anaphylaxis Action Plan as soon as possible. Epipens or Anapens and Action Plans need to be dropped at College Reception.
Asthma
It is advised for students who have asthma to carry their own reliever medication such as Ventolin in their pockets, however the College is able to supply Ventolin to a student who does not have their asthma medication and spacer on hand.
The administration of Ventolin is done after consulting your child’s Asthma Action Plan from PAM. If your child does not have an Asthma Action Plan and the situation is not deemed an emergency, the College will ring the parent/carer to have permission granted to administer the medication.
In the event of an asthma medical emergency and you have not supplied a current action plan, the First Aid Officer would follow emergency asthma care guidelines and an ambulance called.
Asthma Action Plans
It is important that the College has the latest medical information for your child. Unfortunately, there are a number of parents and carers who have not supplied a current Asthma Action Plan to their child’s medical profile. Parents/carers of students with Asthma are required to check their child’s medical profile and ensure that they have supplied a current Asthma Action Plan signed by a Doctor to the College and have uploaded this plan to their child’s medical profile on PAM. You can also email the Asthma Action Plan as an attachment to reception@mercycoburg.catholic.edu.au. Action and management plans for all significant health issues allow our First Aid Officers the ability to act quickly with the appropriate guidance to assist your child.
Students with other significant health issues are requested that their management plans for their condition are dropped off at Reception.
PAM Notices
Accessing PAM
All families should now have received an email with their new PAM login details. If you have not received this, please contact the College and we will email you with your new username and password.
Parent Notified Absences
Parents and Guardians are reminded that you are able to use PAM to record a student absence for daily or multiple days. Please ensure the absence is recorded before 9.30am to avoid a SMS absence alert being generated. Please call the College on 9319 9299 if you require any assistance.
2023 College Fee Statements
As you are aware SIMON and PAM software upgrades took place over the holidays. This has caused a delay in sending out the 2023 College Fee Statements. Statements are in the process of being generated and will be emailed to your nominated email address.
Due to these technical difficulties it has necessitated the early payment discount deadline to be extended from Friday 10 February 2023 to Friday 24 February 2023. Families who pay their fees in full before the newly nominated date will receive the $250 discount per student.
If you have any questions, please contact our Finance Team on 9319 9242.
Year 7 News
On Tuesday we gathered for the first time as a whole Mercy community for 2023 to celebrate the achievements of our Class of 2022 and formally welcome our Year 7 cohort to our College.
At the beginning of the assembly they processed into McAuley Hall through the red doors of Mercy. This tradition commemorates the iconic red doors of Catherine McAuley’s first House of Mercy on Baggot Street in Dublin Ireland and inspires us to continue Catherine's mission with new life.
Student Achievements
2023 AUSTRALIAN OPEN BALL KIDS
Keira (Year 10) and Peyton (Year 7) participated in this year's Australian Open as Ball Kids. You may have seen Keira working at the women’s semi finals.
Peyton’s highlight was working a practice match on Rod Laver arena with Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev.
They both were involved with women’s, men’s, juniors and wheelchair events. The girls worked very hard during the tournament and had lots of fun.
Music & Performing Arts
On Thursday, students in Years 7 and 8 enjoyed performances from Mercy music staff and learnt about how to become involved in music lessons and ensembles at the College in 2023.
If you would like to enrol your daughter in music lessons for 2023, please fill in the attached Instrumental Tuition Form.
For details of music lessons offered at Mercy College, please contact Mr Jack Stewart, Music and Performing Arts Leader by email at music@mercycoburg.catholic.edu.au or call 9319 9250.