We have reached the end of a long term; one filled with many events and learning opportunities for students in the very full academic and co-curricular life of OLMC.

Our theme this year is ‘Varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit’ (1 Corinthians 12:4). In so many ways we have seen students excel in the classroom using their gifts in the pursuit of excellence, led by a team of teachers whose gifts have been freely shared with all students, as well as in the extensive co-curricular opportunities on offer.

It is pleasing to see so many students living our values of courage and joy as they take up the challenge of going beyond the everyday to participate in something they are passionate about. It is a privilege for us to be present as they share their gifts.

Students have given themselves whole heartedly to participation in so many individual and team pursuits. Our GSV sporting teams have once again experienced success. Students working in Music and the Performing Arts have been part of the very successful Senior Production of Chicago – Teen Edition along with opportunities in Music. Our Social Justice team has led some wonderful initiatives throughout the term and engaged with all students to help support others. Our Science students have been successful in the STEM competitions. This week an exhibition of the work of students from the Visual Arts was on display in the Frayne Design Art and Technology Building.

On Monday evening this week Year 7 Music students performed for their families and others in their first concert for the year. The evening was a chance to celebrate the gifts of students shared with family and friends. They were supported by their instrumental music teachers; Jo Mileto, Instrumental Music Coordinator; and Gabriella Russo. Our College Arts Captain Lillian was our MC for the event and she helped the audience appreciate the performance of every student. It was an evening where our values of courage and joy were evident amongst the students.

Year 10 students have this week been engaged in a program specifically designed to support them in the discernment of their post-school options. They have been engaged by a variety of speakers and presentations, along with discussions and workshops. In Term 3 they will be making choices about their VCE pathway and this week has been very important for them.

As a Mercy community we share a charism and values that unite us. A group of students this week had the opportunity to attend the Australasian Mercy Secondary School Association (AMSSA) Student Conference being held in Bendigo and Kyneton. They have joined with students from all over Australia to learn more about the shared spirit that goes far beyond the walls of OLMC. We are looking forward to working with them and learning about all the ways they see that we could become stronger.

Throughout Semester 2 all students will be involved in making choices about their learning program for 2025. They will be challenged to consider their strengths and talents along with their hopes and ambitions. There are opportunities provided throughout this time for students and families to access information and support. I encourage all students to make the very most of the support available.

As we go into a much-anticipated break I hope that all students have the chance to rest, rejuvenate and get ready for another very busy and eventful Semester 2.

Over the past week, eight Year 11 students have attended the Australasian Mercy Secondary School Association (AMSSA) Student Conference in Bendigo and Kyneton. These students offer this beautiful reflection about Mercy from Sr Mary Wickham RSM.

God’s Favourite Hue

If love is the essence and measure of God
mercy must be God’s favourite hue,
a subtle shade
which tells of need and blessing
of pain and waiting
of love greater than grief
of simple joys and tenderness,
of sharing the colours of life.

Over the past four days, eight Year 11 OLMC students joined over 150 other Mercy students across Australia for the AMSSA Student Conference hosted by Catherine McAuley College and Sacred Heart College, Kyneton. These days called all to consider the joy and hope that Mercy brings and, more importantly, how we share those gifts with others. From sharing the heart-warming stories of Mercy, to dancing at the celebration dinner at Bendigo Hall, the students have learnt how to embody the values of Mercy throughout their lives. Students have been inspired to follow in the footsteps of Catherine McAuley and become ‘beacons of light’ to the broader community through acts of service, justice and hospitality.

Finding Freedom in Refugee Week

Last week, we celebrated National Refugee Week. The theme for 2024 has been ‘Finding Freedom’ and the profound journey of resilience, strength and unity that defines the refugee experience.

Whilst the media is covering fewer refugee stories, we must continue to support those who are still detained on and off Australian soil, as well as those struggling to set up life in Australia and living with the uncertainty of temporary visas.

Food for Refugees

Thank you to all the families who supported Year 9 Horizon’s initiative to collect essential food items that will be donated to the Brigidine Asylum Seekers and then directly to families in need. We will organise an excursion in Term 3 to deliver these items to the Brigidine Sisters.

Mercy Hub Event: Refugee Feast

I had the great pleasure of heading to the Mercy Hub in Carlton on National Refugee Day last week with Year 9 students Mietta, Zoe, Livia, Alexia, Teah, Georgia and Estelle where we met refugee women living in our community. The women cooked up some delicious dishes from their cultures and this opened up conversations and created a sense of community for all involved.

On our way home, we paid a visit to the Container Deposit Recycling Centre, where we dropped off 500 bottles and containers. We collected $50 which will be donated to the Brigidine Asylum Seekers. It was great to have the girls involved. Please continue to bring in your 10c containers next term and deposit them in our purpose-bins around the school.

Thank you to all the staff, students and families who continue to support these Social Justice Programs.

The following is a reflection from one of our students:

‘I really enjoyed going to the Mercy Hub and meeting so many new people. It was so interesting and eye-opening to hear about everyone's different experiences, and it opened my eyes to a whole different world. The food was incredible and I loved how you can pick up different elements of people's cultures through their dishes. You could see that the guests loved sharing their food and their stories. I also enjoyed talking to the other students there, and listening to their ideas of freedom and refugee rights. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I would 100% take part in it again.’

Mietta T (9ACH)

Lauren Marquet
Social Justice Coordinator

After a busy term and a chilly Winter camp, the Horizon Term has come to an end for 9LDA and 9GGL.

This term, as part of the program, students worked on a term-long research task called the Inquiry-Based Learning Project. Students worked in groups of three to formulate a question to explore relating to a topic or issue in society. A key part of the project was conducting primary research. This included interviews, surveys, data counts and observation. Students were expected to undertake at least two forms of primary research in addressing their question, as well as review secondary research from existing sources. The students created knowledge that is based on both their secondary and primary research, with the aim of pitching a proposed ‘solution’ at the end of the term.

On Tuesday 25 June, the Horizon students participated in the IBL Expo Evening. This was an opportunity for the students to present their research, findings and proposals on the topic they have been exploring. This was a special occasion as it was the first time we were able to invite families to watch their presentations since 2019. The Horizon students rose to the occasion by delivering interesting and engaging presentations and displays, making it a successful evening. The Horizon teachers would like to congratulate them on their efforts this term.

Gabby Tabban
Horizon Coordinator

Semester 2 has been an exciting, yet extremely busy term for the Year 8 students. Our Year 8 Assemblies have been held every two weeks, with each Pastoral Group organising a chosen song, prayer and shout-outs, which recognise student achievements, participation in co-curricular and individual demonstrations of the OLMC school values.

Students have embraced the many opportunities this term and have participated in the Athletics Carnival, Netball, the Footy Day, Aerobics, Bread Run, Choir and STEAM, to name just a few.

Year 8 students have been working hard over the last three weeks with assessments and it has been pleasing to see the students working on their organisational skills and setting goals to improve their grades. Teachers have been encouraging students to reflect on their grades for assessments, analysing the rubric and teacher comments, and students have been focusing on student reflection as a way to further improve their academic goals.

This week each Pastoral Group has participated in a class Mass with a guest priest, which has been a lovely way to finish the term.

Year 8 Dance have also participated in a dance incursion, where the guest teacher taught the dancers dynamic movement from different cultures, especially Bollywood and African dance. The students were very enthusiastic and really enjoyed the experience.

A highlight of the term was the Year 8 Reflection Day. It was so wonderful to see the year level embrace the day and participate in the many activities and spiritual moments with energy, a positive spirit and also recognising the importance of inclusion and acceptance of others. The Year 8 Religious Education teachers were really proud of the way the students conducted themselves on the day and made the most of the opportunities provided.

Over the past couple of weeks, the Year 8 Camp has been the topic of discussion, with the students organising cabin groups, gaining an understanding of the many wonderful activities on offer and also preparing for the highly anticipated Year 8 Pastoral dance competition. The students have all worked very hard with choreographing brilliant dances and it has been wonderful seeing every student involved in the creation of the dance routines.

We wish all of the Year 8 students a memorable, positive and rewarding camp experience in the first week of Term 3 and we hope they all have an amazing time with their peers and teachers.

Deb Butterworth
Year 8 Coordinator

Year 8 English students this term focused on family stories, where students were invited to listen to the wisdom of a family elder and to craft, in their own words, their story. Students then became custodians of this story, drafting, writing, then performing it for their peers. They then considered who has the right to tell whose story and observed diverse and sometimes marginalised voices within a variety of texts including the picture book The Rabbits by John Marsden and Shaun Tan, which stimulated a variety of visual responses growing out of the powerful themes of this book.

Here is a sample of their Transmedia projects and commentaries.

Anne Morrison
English Learning Area Leader

Emily and I chose the theme ‘Taking Country, Land and Culture’, and included important motifs and details, with the flag being both our salient image and a symbol in our product, showing our understanding of Shaun Tan’s illustrations. We didn’t only include references from The Rabbits but also real life references. We used native plants and included Wadawurrung language to show that this is not just a storybook theme but real life events. Another aspect from the allegory that inspired us was the colour scheme. We used yellow as used in the original text, symbolising the joyfulness and energy of the numbats in the earlier stages of the text, and the monochromatic schemes of the grey of the rabbits to depict gloom and misery. We replicated the colour schemes to continue the understanding of these contradicting emotions.

Haylee F and Emily H (8BFA)

For this assignment I worked in a group of three and our focus was racism. We each created a small piece of transmedia that symbolises or represents a different aspect of racism. My aspect was racism around the world. For this topic I wanted to highlight how racism isn’t just a small problem that happens to a handful of us, it's actually a massive, global problem that happens to thousands and thousands of people every day. People don’t see half of the abuse, verbal and physical, that occurs to men, women and children day by day. We don’t see this as a big problem, but we need to see it as a big problem.

For my piece of transmedia, I decided to use quotes, facts, and graphs, to create an infographic. This infographic shows the many people that daily racism happens to, how it happens worldwide, what people are going through, and it shares a message to everyone spreading awareness. I think showing simple facts and statistics can show a bold statement and can prove a big point. Showing that there is evidence and lots of it can make someone go 'oh, maybe this is right' or 'oh, there is proof of this happening, I didn’t even realise'. The evidence in this case is showing that this is a very real thing happening in the world and it’s happening a lot.

Some other components of this infographic include many visuals, a quote, a picture from The Rabbits, and statements. The statements and quotes really help people take their time to read the statistics, take in the information, and then read something reflective and bold.

Scarlett C (8MWA)

My transmedia task explores the loss and heartbreak of the stolen generation. We wanted to examine the devastation of the ‘last touch’ between a parent and their child through our piece.

Niamh H (8DDA)

I used glass which represents fragility, much like the bonds of these families. Next, I used two hands on opposite sides of the glass to display what the last ‘goodbye’ would look like for an elder and child who is being taken away and included names on the glass of the children who were taken by the government.

Alyssa K (8DDA)

On Monday 24 June many of our Year 7 students currently learning a musical instrument at OLMC performed to an enthusiastic crowd of parents and friends at their first Music Recital. The evening featured guitarists, pianists, vocalists, violinists, drummers and even a trumpeter! The music ranged from rock classics such as ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’, to current Taylor Swift hits and musical theatre favourites such as ‘A Whole New World’. The students all performed extremely well and should be proud of this great achievement. Performing as a soloist or in a small group of two or three in front of a crowd can be extremely daunting and having the courage and determination to do this is a wonderful life skill to have. We look forward to seeing their journey continue throughout the year and at their final recital in Term 4.

Our Senior students have also been busy this term meeting with the Music Department to look at new opportunities for our students. This includes helping the OLMC Choir create a movie for the Celebration Concert and the creation of a new ensemble to allow those students who were part of High School Musical Jr and Chicago – Teen Edition to continue their musical theatre journey. This new ensemble, ‘Broadway Bound’, which as the name suggests caters for students who enjoy performing musical theatre hits and will enable students to work on their acting, vocal and dance skills. This ensemble will be student-mentored and I would like to thank the following students for taking on this important role: Lillian M (12MCMI), Rosie F (11AMJE), Chloe F (11MMPA), Jasmine P (11AMJE), Madeleine K (11AJIN), Heidi C (11LLAN) and Georgia L (11AMJE). We are sure they will do a wonderful job. Details are currently on SIMON and we hope to see their final products at a performance in Term 4.

Jo-Anne Mileto
Instrumental Music Coordinator

This term has been full of sporting opportunities for students at OLMC - GSV Weekly and Championship Sport, CGSAV AFL, Badminton, OLMC Aerobics and AeroChallenge.

GSV Weekly Sport - Netball and Hockey

This term we had one Junior Hockey team and a total of 19 netball teams: three Senior, six Intermediate and ten Junior teams. Finals were played in Weeks 8 and 9 of this Term.

Senior Netball: Two Senior Netball teams played in finals. Team A were finalists and Team C won their zone and were GSV Runners Up.

Intermediate Netball: Two Intermediate teams, C and F, made it to the finals. Team C won their zone and were semi-finalists, whilst Team F also won their zone and were GSV Champions. A great result!

Junior Netball: A total of five Junior Netball teams, E, F, H, I and J, all made their respective quarter finals but missed out on being Champions this year.

GSV Championship Cross Country

The GSV Championship Cross Country was conducted in Week 7 at Cruden Farm in Langwarrin. A total of 40 students represented OLMC, participating in Junior A and B three-kilometre races along with Intermediate A and B and Senior A and B four-kilometre races.

Notable performances:

• Junior A: Olivia C (8BHO) 14^th
• Junior B: Ruby H (7RTH) 8^th
• Intermediate A: Lucy C (9TLA) 15^th
• Intermediate B: Liv N (9ACH) 94^th
• Senior A: Jamieson L (11CTKI) 52^nd
• Overall: OLMC finished 5^th in Division 3.

GSV Senior Basketball

OLMC had two teams participate in the GSV Senior Basketball Tournament played at Melbourne Sports and Aquatics Centre in Week 9. The Year 12 team fought hard against very strong opponents, finishing with no wins but a day of fun and memories. The Year 11 team were undefeated and won the Division 2 Senior Basketball Championship. Congratulations to the team members: Sarah B (11MMZI), Sophie S (11LSMI), Grace E (11LSMI), Mackenzie W (11MJBA), Alice C (11CPSE) and Jaeda R (11MCMI).

CGSAV AFL Tournament

The CGSAV AFL Tournament was held in Week 8 at the Parkville Ovals. OLMC competed with Junior, Intermediate and Senior Teams in Division 1 against other teams from CGSAV schools.

The OLMC Junior team finished runners up to a very strong Genazzano team, our Intermediate Team was undefeated and won the Championship, and the Senior team finished fourth overall. OLMC Intermediate team will compete in the Herald Sun Division 2 Round Robin Competition on Tuesday 27 August. We wish them every success.

CGSAV Badminton Tournament

OLMC had three teams compete in the CGSAV Badminton Tournament - Junior, Intermediate and Senior. This competition provided students who rarely participate in GSV an opportunity to represent OLMC. The competition was very strong and our students gave of their best. Our Juniors and Seniors finished 6^th and our Intermediates finished 5^th. We are looking forward to 2025 when Badminton will become a GSV Sport option in Term 3.

2024 AeroChallenge Aerobics Competition

OLMC had 54 students attend the 2024 AeroChallenge Aerobics Competition at Nazareth College in Noble Park North last week. This was the first of four aerobic competitions that the OLMC Aerobics Squad will be competing in.

OLMC students performed well in both the Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary competitions.

Term 3

Term 3 is promising to be as busy as Term 2 for OLMC Students, with many sporting opportunities: GSV Volleyball and Soccer, GSV Championship Athletics, Netball Victoria Secondary School Championships, AFL Victoria Herald Sun Shield Competition, CGSAV Aerobics, CGSAV Junior Netball Competition, AeroSchools State Competition and Gymnastics Victoria Interschool Secondary Competition.

Trevor Robertson
Sports Coordinator

In preparation for Mercy Day at the end of Term 3 we would like to ask our OLMC community to consider donating second-hand clothing and books that could be sold as part of the Mercy Day Stalls in 2024. The money that we raise on Mercy Day is donated to Mercy Works. Mercy Works is the development arm of the Sisters of Mercy in Australia and Papua New Guinea. They work in partnership with vulnerable communities and local organisations domestically and in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. They work with the people of these communities and organisations to build capacity and self-reliance.

If an early spring clean is happening over the holidays, we invite our community to consider donating any clothes and books that are still in good condition (wearable, readable and saleable) to the Mercy Day stall for re-homing. On Mercy Day students will have the opportunity to use the tokens they have purchased to exchange these for goods. Not only is this a wonderful opportunity to raise money for a worthy cause, but it is also a sustainable practice.

Donations will be accepted starting from early Term 3. Students can bring clothes or books in boxes or bags to the Student Leadership Office in the Roma Building for storage until Mercy Day.

Fiona Koenig-Doig
Student Leadership Coordinator

St Martin of Tours Parish is hosting an information evening for Dads called 'Raising Fathers' on Wednesday 21 August from 7.00 pm to 8.30 pm. It will be facilitated by menALIVE, an organisation with over 20 years’ experience of engaging with men in Australia and New Zealand. menALIVE offers practical advice on fathering in current times.

menALIVE will also host a retreat weekend in mid-November 2024 for those who would like to attend. Please see the flyer below for more information.

Further information can also be found at the following sites:

• General Information on menALIVE Victoria: menALIVE
• Raising Fathers Evening Event: Raising Fathers
• Parish Men’s Retreat: Fathers' Weekend Retreat

Follow the official Our Lady of Mercy College accounts on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. We’ll be sharing regular news, student achievements and stories from around the College.