Mercy News - Friday 24 March 2023

Key Dates

Saturday 25 March

• Earth Hour, 8.30pm - 9.30pm

Monday 27 March

• Year 7 and 10 Immunisations 
  
• Monday Musical Rehearsals (3.30pm to 6.00pm)

Tuesday 28 March

• Year 10 Indonesian Excursion: Indonesian Film Festival, 8.30am to 1.15pm
• Kitchen Kapers - Week 3 (4.00pm to 5.00pm)

Wednesday 29 March

• Term 1 Learner Expectation Reports available to families
• Wednesday Musical Rehearsals at Parade College (3.30pm to 6.00pm)

Thursday 30 March

• 7A History Incursion: History Up Close, Periods 5 & 6
• VCE Art & VCD SAT Folio Support (3.20pm to 4.45pm)

Sunday 2 April

• Palm Sunday

Monday 3 April

• Monday Musical Rehearsals (3.30pm to 6.00pm)

Tuesday 4 April

• Years 7 to 10 Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences - face to face 1.30pm to 8.00pm. Lunchtime finish for Year 7 to 10 classes.
• Year 12 (and Year 11 students studying a Unit 3) classes to run as usual, 3.20pm finish
• Kitchen Kapers - Week 4 (4.00pm to 5.00pm)

Wednesday 5 April

• Wednesday Musical Rehearsals at Parade College (3.30pm to 6.00pm)

Thursday 6 April

• Holy Thursday
• First Day of Passover
• Last day of Term One
• Learning Showcase Assembly
  

Prayer

Harmony Week Prayer

God of all people, God of love,

Just as the colours of a rainbow

Blend and merge to form one rainbow,

So too may the colours of our different cultures and beliefs,

blend and merge in our families, our communities and throughout our world,

through mutual respect and acceptance,

so that we may come together in true harmony. Amen

Catherine McAuley, pray for us.

Message From Our Principal

It is lovely to be with you at the end of another school week.  Over the past fortnight there has been lots going on. From all reports, there have been wonderful opportunities for students to engage in activities both inside and outside the classroom. I thank the staff for providing the many learning opportunities for the students and thank the students for the spirit in which they engage in all things Mercy.

Catholic Education Week 2023: Sunday 12 March - Sunday 19 March

The theme for this year’s celebration was, “Forming Lives of faith, hope and love in the light of Christ”.

This week was an opportunity for our school to join all 334 Catholic schools in the Archdiocese to celebrate our distinctive Catholic identity, our achievements and the role our school plays within our parish and local communities.

Catholic education and an education at Mercy seeks to provide students with a high quality education that is inspired by the example of Jesus Christ and fosters the development of the whole person, forming individuals with more than just skills, but with the virtues to live life as transformative agents in our community.

Later on in the newsletter our Director: RE and Identity - Nima Ballenger writes about the various activities our students were involved with to celebrate the week. Our Student Refection is written by senior students who attended the Mass of St Patrick for Schools held on Friday 17 March and celebrated by Archbishop Peter, followed by the Young Speakers Colloquium.

Child Safe Community - Child Safe Standards

The care, safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a central and fundamental responsibility of all of us here at Mercy and all in Catholic education.

​​ Victorian Child Safe Standards

1. Culturally safe environments – Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.
2. Leadership, governance and culture – Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture.
3. Child and student empowerment – Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.
4. Family engagement – Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
5. Diversity and equity – Equity is upheld and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.
6. Suitable staff and volunteers – People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
7. Complaints processes – Processes for complaints and concerns are child focused.
8. Child safety knowledge, skills and awareness – Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
9. Child safety in physical and online environments – Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.
10. Review of child safety practices – Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.
11. Implementation of child safety practices – Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.

If you would like to know more about the Child Safe Standards, I encourage parents/guardians to contact us at the College or visit: https://www.macs.vic.edu.au/Our-Schools/Child-Safety.aspx

Year 4 Explore Day

On Wednesday, we were thrilled to host 150 Year 4 students from 9 of our local Catholic Primary Schools. They were able to join us for a day of learning and fun activities as they experienced what it is like to be a Mercy student for a day. Our primary students and primary staff visitors remarked on what a great day it was and how our Mercy students and staff were so welcoming and respectful in their interactions.

National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN)

Over the past fortnight, our Year 7 and 9 students have been sitting the compulsory NAPLAN. They have done so in a very calm and methodical way and I compliment them on their demeanor and approach to the test. We will look forward to the results later this year, remembering that these tests give only a snapshot of performance on day in limited areas.

Let us never lose trust in the patience and mercy of God.

Lila McInerney
Principal

Student Reflection: Mass of St Patrick for Schools

On Friday 17 March, we made our way to St Patrick's Cathedral to be a part of a very special Mass with many Catholic schools in Melbourne. When we arrived at St Patrick's Cathedral, we took a photo with our beautiful Mercy College banner in front of the Cathedral. Social Justice Leader, Sasadi Jayalath and Mission Leader Emily Gaffy represented Mercy College during the Entrance Procession, proudly carrying the school banner.  

Walking alongside Emily and Sasadi were all of the other Catholic schools’ banners and selected students that walked them down towards the altar.

This was an amazing experience as it was interesting seeing all of the other Catholic students and schools participating in this yearly Mass, whilst gathering to celebrate another wonderful Catholic Education Week.

The Mass was accompanied by an amazing choir who sang several songs that added to the beauty of the celebration. In fact, the majority of the songs they sang, we actually sing at our school Masses, which made the Mass more familiar for us.

We then made our way to the Catholic Leadership Centre where we were greeted with a guest speaker, Fr Rob Galea. He gave all of us so much insight into what it means to be a good Catholic through his own personal story with faith.

Overall it was an amazing experience and a great day out!

Eva Brazzani, (Year 12), Lydia Faranso (Year 12), Ruby Chahoud (Year 11) and Senasha Warnakula (Year 10)

Director: Religious Education and Identity

Catholic Education Week: 12 - 19 March
Forming lives of faith, hope and love in the light of Christ

Mercy College organised and took part in a variety of student-centred activities to celebrate Catholic Education Week in 2023. 

Tuesday 14 March

We launched our Mercy College Op Shop! Our school community ‘shopped ‘til they dropped’ with many students walking out with an upcycled outfit for under $5. It is great to see lots of students donating their clothes, shoes, handbags and books to the Op Shop. A reminder that the Mercy College Op Shop is open every Wednesday and Friday lunch time during Lent and is run by our Student Executive Team. Students can donate clothing, swap clothing, or purchase by donating to Caritas’ Project Compassion.

To celebrate the beginning of Catholic Education Week, our Mission and Social Justice Year Level Leaders formally received their leadership badges for 2023. Featured below is our Year 11 Mission Leader, Ruby Chahoud, who received her badge from myself (Mrs Nima Ballenger - Director: Religious Education and Identity) and our Year 12 Mission Captain, Emily Gaffy. Also featured is our Year 11 Social Justice Leader, Kayla Jordan, who received her badge from our Social Justice Convenor, Mrs Lanelle Eid, and our Year 12 Social Justice Captain, Sasadi Jayalath.

Wednesday 15 March

During Lunch, our Mercy College community contributed to a whole-school chalk mural based on the 2023 Catholic Education Week Theme: Forming lives of faith, hope and love in the light of Christ.

Thursday 16 March

The sun was shining and good vibes were on during our Lunchtime Concert in the Jubilee Garden, celebrating the many gifts and talents of our Mercy community during Catholic Education Week. It was great to see our community gather together to support our Mercy musicians and donate to Caritas’ Project Compassion.

Friday 17 March

To celebrate the end of Catholic Education Week and the Feast Day of St Patrick, our Senior Mission and Social Justice Leaders attended the Mass of St Patrick for Schools. We were also blessed to listen to Fr Rob Galea share his story as he inspired us to turn our ‘mess’ into our ‘message’. 

During Homerooms, our students participated in a St Patrick’s Feast Day Liturgy, and each student received a special Mercy College cookie to celebrate Catholic Education Week. 

Nima Ballenger
Director: Religious Education and Identity

Deputy Principal

“Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning achievement. The most effective feedback is that which helps the learner understand where they are, where they need to be, and how to get there.”

With reference to John Hattie, one of the High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) used by our teachers is feedback. Feedback provides the bridge between assessment and learning and aims to inform a student about their progress and overall performance as well as identifying areas for future growth and improvement.

Learner Expectation Reports and Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews are opportunities for teachers to provide such feedback. They also provide an opportunity for parents to work in partnership with their child’s teachers in developing a shared understanding of what student progress looks like for their son or daughter.

Term One Learner Expectation Reports

Learner Expectation Reports will be available to all families as of Wednesday 29 March via the Parent Access Module (PAM).

Learner Expectation Reports are designed to provide feedback on a range of areas related to your daughter’s learning, study habits and overall progress. These reports provide feedback on your daughter’s progress and form the basis for discussion at the upcoming Years 7-10 Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews to be held on Tuesday 4 April.

Families will receive further correspondence outlining how to access their daughter’s Learner Expectation Report.

In the meantime, we encourage your daughter to continue to apply herself to the best of her ability across all her subjects and look forward to discussing your daughter’s progress with you.

Years 7-10 Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews: Tuesday 4 April

The Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews are an opportunity for teaching staff at Mercy College to share with families their understanding of the needs of each Year 7-10 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.  

Families were sent correspondence this week outlining how to access and make bookings for the Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews. We encourage all parents and guardians to make appointments with their daughter’s teachers and 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.

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 Monday 3 April.

For further information please visit the VCAA website.

Nicholas Ambrozy
Deputy Principal

Director: Student Engagement and Wellbeing

Child Safety

The Child Safe Policy and Standards underline everything we do as a College.

Please click on the hyperlink to find out more about Child Safe Standard 1 .

https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/child-safe-standards/the-11-child-safe-standards/standard-1/

Medical Management

As different policies change for schools, we have to update information and ask for parent support in doing this.

It is important as a College that we receive up to date information regarding student’s medical needs. In particular relating to allergies, anaphylaxis and serious medical conditions. This allows us as a College to prepare and respond to your child’s needs. Learning and Wellbeing Leaders have contacted families via email to communicate if their child’s condition has changed in relation to any of the above. Please ensure that you respond to the email as soon as possible. If you did not receive an email, please contact your child’s Learning and Wellbeing Leader about this.

It is important to note we cannot administer medicine without GP and parent permission - this includes paracetamol, etc. Your child will be receiving some important medical management forms next week that will need to be submitted as soon as possible. This information will be used for our daily interactions with your child, as well as excursions and overnight activities.

Student Voice

Student Voice makes up an important part of Mercy College . Students meet and discuss with me learning matters, school routine and are the link between the ideas, thoughts and needs of the year level they represent. 

By empowering students we enhance student engagement and enrich their participation in their learning and connection to their school. We have had many applicants to represent their year level as student voice leader, and we look forward to hearing their speeches to year levels this week. The year level will then vote on who they feel would be the best person to represent them as their 2023 student voice leader.

Harmony Day

Harmony Day is a celebration of our cultural diversity – a day of cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home. Held every year in March, Harmony Day coincides with the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

On Thursday 23 March, Mercy College celebrated Harmony Day. It was wonderful to have students approach me to ask if they could celebrate the day by dressing up in their cultural costume and bringing in food to share during Homeroom from their cultural background. Homeroom classes collaborated with their teachers to prepare for the day to decide how they would celebrate. The day really highlights what Mercy is and celebrates as a community every day. We are a community made up of many cultures, languages and differences - respectful and united as one.

Maria Daniele
Director: Student Engagement and Wellbeing

Counsellor’s Corner

Teens and Sleep

Teenagers have rapidly changing brains and hormones that cause them to be particularly impacted by inadequate sleep. Lack of sleep can have a number of significant negative effects on teens including being more emotionally reactive, increasing the likelihood of risk-taking behaviours and impulsivity and even makes them more vulnerable to mood disorders. Further to this, being tired makes it much more difficult to take in information and learn new things.

So, how can parents ensure that their young person is getting enough sleep?

There are some simple sleep hygiene tips to keep in mind and to share with your teenager when you are working towards better sleep health:

• Keep clear of intense exercise, caffeine or high energy drinks late at night
• Try to turn off mobile devices at least an 30 minutes to an hour before bed – it has been well established that screen time before bed has a negative impact on sleep:  https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep/screen-time-and-insomnia-for-teens
• As much as possible keep bedrooms for sleeping. If we do lots of other things, like watching shows or using social media in our bedrooms then our brain will start to equate our room with something exciting and produce wakeful neurochemicals which in turn impacts our sleep quality and quantity. https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/teen-brains-need-more-sleep-why-they-struggle-to-get-out-of-bed-20230209-p5cj60.html
• Don’t charge phones in the bedroom
• Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Keeping a sleep schedule within an hour of what is usual, helps keep the circadian rhythm in check. Long sleep-ins can have the opposite effect to what we think and can lead to more tiredness and grogginess
• Discourage afternoon naps. Naps make it harder to fall asleep at night and can play havoc with our sleep schedule.

For further information, please refer to the following link: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep

Year 7 Learning and Wellbeing Level Leader

Our year 7 Homerooms continue to grow in their “working strength” each week.  We have continued to use our Homeroom and wellbeing time to engage in bonding exercises which encourage connections to each other and expose the ways we all learn best.  We have also seen much excitement around the Fantastic Friday Activities which have been a big hit.

Who will win the end of term special lunch treat??

This year our Year 7 wellbeing theme has been focussed on being “Bucket Fillers”.  Bucket-filling is a term used to refer to positive attitudes and behaviour. It relies on the analogy that every person carries with them an invisible bucket. This bucket contains a person's feelings and emotions. When the bucket is full, this represents us feeling happy and content.  Together the students have looked at the many ways we make a difference to each other's day through our actions and interactions - ways we can fill each and every bucket.

Harmony Week

This year we saw lots of students take up the opportunity to display their background culture in a positive way.  Many dressed in cultural costumes whilst others brought a plate of food to share.  It was fabulous to see and explore the multicultural nature of our college.

Jacquie Russell
Year 7 Learning and Wellbeing Leader

Years 8 and 9 Learning and Wellbeing Level Leader

Fantastic Fridays

Each Friday, students in Middle School work as a team to complete a fun activity. Research has shown that incorporating fun activities into the learning process can have a positive impact on student’s academic achievement and overall wellbeing (Kumar & Muthaiah, 2021). By setting aside [a time] for fun and creative activities, teachers can help students feel more engaged and motivated, while also promoting creativity, social skills and emotional wellbeing.

Fantastic Friday activities give students the opportunity to collaborate as a Homeroom and show off their skills. While the activities change weekly, the goal remains constant. All students are vying for the ultimate prize of ‘end of term lunch’.

The first week was the challenge of the paper plane. Using only one sheet of A4 paper, students had to design a plane with the greatest velocity that could glide the furthest distance.

Week Two, we saw the challenge of having to bounce a ping pong ball in a small cup. This bounce shot is difficult to execute, with students needing to ensure that the ball was bounced perfectly at the centre of the table, at the correct angle that would allow the ball to land into the cup. As the players took their shots, the noise in the corridor was deafening, with students cheering on their representative and ultimately the winner! 

Tania Benevento
Year 8 and 9 Learning and Wellbeing Level Leader

Senior Learning and Wellbeing Level Leader

As we get closer to the end of term, we have seen our Senior School achieve various successes. As SACs have been undertaken, students have utilised the collaboration spaces available to continue excelling in their confidence and academics. 

This week in particular, we celebrated Harmony Week and it was fantastic to see all the different cultures and backgrounds of our senior school members. 

Students also completed various activities in Homeroom this week to take a break and connect as a class. 

We acknowledge Senior School can come with its challenges. If you feel like your child needs some additional support, please always reach out to the College by sending me an email at adriver@mercycoburg.catholic.edu.au.

Annie Driver 
Senior Learning and Wellbeing Level Leader 

Humanities

In Year 8 History, students are currently studying the Black Death; an important historical event in Medieval Europe. 

As part of the course, the Year 8 History students attended an incursion to gain an insight to what life was like in Medieval Europe. The interactive incursion included a range of clothing from different members of the Feudal system and artefacts such as swords, animals and utensils. Through storytelling, demonstrations and student participation, the students were treated to an exhibition on the various aspects of life during this time. 

The Year 8 students enjoyed the experience particularly being to participate in sword fighting and getting dressed in Medieval clothing.

Jessie Burns
Legal Studies and History teacher

Languages - Italian

Every fortnight Year 10 Italian students have a conversation class where a student volunteers to bring an Italian dish to share and Italian coffee is prepared using the Italian moka. The intention of the lesson is to make students feel relaxed, while engaging in their Italian oral skills. The lesson is held in the cafeteria, so as to envisage being at an Italian cafe. So far students have brought in cannoli, panettone and nutella biscuits to share. They have learnt the skill of preparing the Italian moka (so the coffee is not so strong) and of course focused on speaking Italian using prompts for general conversation.

As the year progresses, I look forward to seeing the student's oral skills develop, alongside their coffee making skills!

Maria Daniele
Year 10 Italian teacher

Community Notices