Mercy Newsletter - 3 December 2021
Message from our Principal
Dear Mercy Community
It’s hard to believe we find ourselves here at the final school day for 2021. Today we were able to gather as a whole school community and celebrate, give thanks and enjoy each other’s company in a wide variety of activities.
We began the day with a beautiful and moving, final liturgy where we witnessed many students and staff work together to create a prayerful and respectful occasion.
The liturgy was followed by our Term 4 Learning Showcase, an opportunity to enjoy and reflect upon all of the learning and growth our students have demonstrated in 2021. We recognised our term 4 Student of the Term recipients and the winner of our 2022 College Theme design, Emilia Hajistathi.
The remainder of the day was filled with fun activities – time together as a year level and in homeroom groups, a picnic at Coburg Lake and the preparation of Christmas Hampers.
Every Advent season at Mercy College, the Mercy Community generously donate by the last day of the school year as many Christmas goods as possible. The plethora of Christmas items including delicious Christmas puddings, chocolate, biscuits and decorations to name a few, are made into festive Christmas hampers as part of our ‘hamper-making activity’. The hampers are then donated to the less fortunate members of our community. This year, our hampers will be donated to the Hope Café, Fawkner and the St Vincent de Paul Moreland Conference.
Advent
As we gathered for the final time as a school community in 2021, we reflected on the meaning of Advent. Advent means “the Coming of Christ” and is a time for us all to pause and reflect on the mystery and wonder of Christ’s story. Perhaps more important in 2021 than any other year, it’s also an opportunity to reflect on our own story and journey this year.
As I shared today it’s not enough to say that together we have encountered another challenging year. As a learning community, we were forced to be adaptable and flexible once again as we transitioned back and forth to remote and onsite learning. As individuals, we had to face fear and the unknown – grappling with a global event that has effected so many parts of our lives. I hope that now, as the year draws to a close, each and every student is able to reflect on 2021 with a sense of pride, achievement – even if it just acknowledging “I made it’’.
Like often in life with the challenges came great things. Connectedness online, growth in our learning, a true sense of care and nurture for the wellbeing of others and ourselves – and opportunities to spend more time with our families. Whilst we all look forward to a new year and a new start, I know that we can all be self-reflective and know both the positives and negatives that 2021 has brought us, which will help us on our journey forward to a new school year.
Farewell and Thank you
As I visited many of the activities taking place today, I was reminded not only of the positivity and joy in our students – but of that in our staff and their capacity to lead and teach our girls. Our staff have been remarkable in 2021, in the way they have been there to support your daughters and one another. I am grateful for all that they do, and I know you will join me in thanking them for their incredible work this year.
I take this opportunity to formally acknowledge the staff who will be leaving us in 2021. Ms Clare Kelly (2020-2021), Ms Jaime Brown (2021) Ms Yola Beaini (2021) and Ms Josephine Mehanni (2017-2021).
We also say thank you and farewell to staff who have been with us for some of this year Mr Renato Malisani, Mr Phil Anderson and Ms Catherine Leslie and who will conclude their fixed term positions.
I express my thanks to each of these staff members who have offered their time and talents to our school community over long and short periods. We are thankful for having learnt from and with them and wish them all the very best for the future.
Hope
Advent is the season of Hope. It is hope, however faint at times, that keeps us from despair and the darkness and destructiveness. It is a hope that urges us to be kind, loving and compassionate toward one another. It is a hope that encourages our faith in a merciful God who continues to pour His grace upon us.
I hope that God’s love is with all of our Mercy community during the Christmas Season. Best wishes for a safe, restful and relaxing summer break and I look forward to seeing you all again in 2022 – where I hope that we will encounter brighter days and the opportunity to “Emerge with Mercy”.
Let us never lose trust in the patience and mercy of God.
Lila McInerney
God of Hope
You give us this blessed season of Advent as a gift of time to
prepare for the coming of Christ.
But all too often we turn this gift into a source of frenzy, stress and anxiety;
a time when we’re apt to prepare for a Christmas celebration looking perfect on the outside,
but spiritually exhausting and without true meaning.
Restore in us that inherent quest for quiet expectation and hope.
Show us the way to a more peaceful, prayerful disposition that
makes us more open to a conversion of heart.
And give us the courage to let go of things that are
ultimately unimportant to the true meaning of Christmas.
Help us be good stewards of this Advent season,
so that on the Feast of the Nativity,
we will be ready with our own sacred space for the arrival of
your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we now pray.
Amen
Students Last Day
Students of the Term
Year 7 Student of the Term is Marisa Di Nuzzo
Marisa has consistently applied herself wholeheartedly to her learning and the Mercy community.
She reflects what it is to be a responsible learner, as she takes her learning seriously and works hard to achieve results of which she should be very proud. She extends herself by choosing more challenging options for the tasks set by her teachers and always seeks feedback to refine her work. Marisa wrote an outstanding essay in English on the novel The Giver and also developed a number of vivid poems for her Poetry Folio.
After undertaken singing lessons at Mercy, Marisa recently performed beautifully for our 2022 Year 7 families. She has been a respectful member of her homeroom, always engaging in polite interactions with her teachers and peers, and has been a reliable Mission Captain for her homeroom this year.
Year 8 Student of the Term is Olivia Pitruzello
Olivia is constantly bringing her 'A'Game to all that she does at Mercy College. She is kind, contributes to classroom culture positively, and has a clear love of learning. Demonstrating a persistent and curious learning disposition, Olivia always tries her best no matter the context. She has her sights set on a bright future.
Olivia demonstrates maturity in her ability to recognise her own needs, the needs of others, and ways to go about achieving what she needs to succeed. She seeks support from the right avenues and uses critical thinking to evaluate her options.
Rarely seen without a smile on her face, Olivia is a positive force that cannot be torn down.
Year 9 Student of the Term is Maya Assafiri
Maya is the kind of individual who has the ability to reach and influence a wide variety of her peers. When she speaks, people listen. When she helps, people respond. When she laughs, it is infectious.
In 2021, Maya has consistently aimed to not only be her best self, but to encourage others to be the best version of themselves. She makes her way through the world with justice and compassion.
In Term 4, Maya has demonstrated a deep commitment to her personal growth and our learning community. She is engaged, has fantastic relationships with her teachers, and is an absolute pleasure to teach. This is evident in regular, excellent feedback from her teachers about her learner dispositions and her general warmth that she brings to her everyday life.
Year 10 Student of the Term is Samanta Sana
Samantha has impressed her teachers across the board in 2021. She is always polite, well-mannered and is very hard working. Even when she’s absent from class, she is able to stay up to date, attempts the work herself and then seeks clarity with anything she had trouble completing. This not only shows her maturity but a great responsibility for her own learning. She has a fantastic work ethic and always challenges herself in her work.
Samantha is a quiet achiever who has blossomed throughout the course of the year. To her friends she is known for being kind hearted and caring. She supports her friends and is always positive and welcoming.
Year 11 Student of the Term is Mia Zomer
Mia is a respected and valued member of the Mercy College community. Her peers and teachers appreciate her friendly, warm and generous nature. These attributes have aided her in her many positions of leadership throughout her time at Mercy College, and we are excited to see this continue as she contributes to the student executive team in 2022.
Academically, Mia meets every challenge through hard work and diligence. She strives for academic excellence by being a proficient learner, evident in her deep level of understanding new concepts and knowledge. She demonstrates this by being an active member of the classroom, asking questions and assisting others.
Mia volunteers to assist in homeroom and to support her teachers, helps her peers frequently with their work, and is always proactive in lending a helping hand. This student is a natural leader and ensures she is the voice for those around her. She is an ambassador for our College, and represents our community beautifully where possible.
Campion Book Collection Reminder
Sell Day Details -
Tuesday 7 December 2021
9am - 1pm
Convent Carpark (enter via Gate 1)