91ÊÓƵ

Last week the school commemorated ANZAC Day by sharing in silence and prayer followed by the opportunity to write messages of hope and peace which have been placed on our flag poles and in the Chapel. As the world continues to struggle with war and the inevitable devastation it creates, it was wonderful to read the hopes of our students.

On Friday last week, Shane Taylor, Cyvonne Scarica, Jemma Banfield and I had the privilege of attending the International Coalition of Girls' Schools Symposium held in Melbourne. We joined teachers from girls’ schools all over Australia to celebrate and reflect on girls’ education. The theme of the symposium was 'Diversity and Inclusivity' and we were challenged to see both in their broadest applications for girls and young women in our schools, in the workforce and in society.

The conference included the rich voices of wonderful leaders like Djapirri Mununggirritj, Yolngu Elder from Yirrkala in North East Arnhem Land. Among her key achievements is establishing the Yirrkala Women’s Patrol, which saw Aboriginal elders walk the streets late at night to successfully deal with domestic violence, alcohol and other community safety issues. She is an accomplished artist who is committed to the protection and promotion of Yolngu art, and spent five years managing Nambara Arts and Crafts. Djapirri shared with us her wisdom and inspired us with her hope as an Aboriginal woman who sees open doors and opportunities for our communities to work together for all young women.

We also heard from Dr Nira Rahman, an Academic specialising in Educational Design and Student Engagement in the Arts Teaching Innovation in the Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne. Her works are focused towards a more inclusive, applicable, transformative and internationalised Arts and Humanities education. She shared with us the many ways that as a society we live with conscious bias but offered ideas for the ways in which education can be at the forefront of change.

In addition to the keynote addresses we participated in a range of workshops focused on the current educational needs of girls. We are looking forward to implementing some of the ideas we all brought back to 91ÊÓƵ over this year.

Next week the Annual Athletics Carnival will be held for Year 7-12. The Carnival is always a wonderful day. For our Year 12 students this will be their last and the parade will no doubt be a highlight of the day. For our Year 7 students it will be their first Athletics Carnival. For all students it will be a day to share in House spirit by earning points participating in the formal competitive program, the novelty events or the cheering. It is an important part of the year and we look forward to seeing all students there.

As we continue celebrating the joy of the Easter season, we enter May, a time traditionally dedicated to honouring Mary. While historians debate the origins of our May tradition, what matters is the example Mary provides for all people and the chance to reflect on her life.

As a school named in honour of Mary, the title 'Our Lady of Mercy' and its associated feast held special significance for Venerable Catherine McAuley, the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy. She valued this day so much that she chose it to open her first House of Mercy, entrusting its work to God's merciful care. As we celebrate Mary this month, may the words in our school song ‘Duce Maria’ remind us of her role as our Mother, leader, and guide.

So, we pray…

Mary, mother of Mercy and Love,

You answered God's call and brought Jesus into the world. Help us follow your example and accept God's plan for our lives.

We ask for your guidance as we face choices and challenges. Sometimes, we feel lost or uncertain. Help us trust God like you did, even when we don't know the outcome.

Mary, we know you were with Jesus through His life, from His birth to His resurrection. Be with us as we walk our own paths, giving us strength and courage to do what's right.

Watch over our families and friends. Keep them safe and united in love. Show us how to bring light and kindness into the world, like you did when you visited Elizabeth and sang your song of praise.

Thank you for being our mother and friend and always listening to our prayers.

We ask you to stay with us as we grow in faith and love.

Amen.

Last Friday morning, we gathered as a whole school to pray for peace and commemorate this special day. After standing for the Last Post, the minute's silence, and the Rouse, we prayed…

O God of the nations,
As we look to that day when you will gather people from north and south, east and west,
into the unity of your peaceable Kingdom,
guide with your just and gentle wisdom all who take counsel for the nations of the world,
that all your people may spend their days in security, freedom, and peace through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

The students then wrote messages of hope and peace upon crosses and placed them on our flag poles and in our Chapel.

As we move through Term 2, we know that many students are seeking to find ways to extend themselves and prepare well for their End of Semester 1 exams. With Year 10 and 11 exams just over a month away, students will be building revision time into their homework and study routines, as the evidence indicates that frequent spaced repetition leads to greater memory retention than cramming the night before.

In order to support students to feel confident in their own abilities, organise and manage their time effectively, as well as challenge themselves to achieve their best, we have set aside some time to continue the development of their revision techniques and exam skills.

Year 10 students

On Friday 10 May Year 10 students will have three lessons designed to prepare for their first set of exams. Presenters will be both 91ÊÓƵ staff and external presenters from Elevate. Students will not only have the opportunity to develop their exam preparation skills, but also how to manage stress and, often an important skill, how to move on from an exam, even if it did not go as well as planned.

Year 11 students

Year 11 students experienced the Year 10 program in 2023 so now is the time to refine their skills even further. Their focus will be on reviewing their revision strategies from previous years and managing their worries in the assessment period, as well as in the lead up to exams.

The resources from the day are available for students from all year levels to access on our 91ÊÓƵ Study Skills website on SIMON. Parents may want to ask students to show them this website so they can help in the planning of revision, and in setting up their revision schedule.

Andrew Gibson
Curriculum Coordinator

Megan Edwards
Head of Student Wellbeing

Anna Apfelstedt
Learning Commons Coordinator

In English classrooms there has been an increased focus on students creating their own texts for a range of purposes and audiences. Students in Year 7 recently learnt about the mystery genre through their study of Friday Barnes Girl Detective and they planned and wrote their own detective stories. They were given a range of parameters including setting or scenario and profiles for a range of characters that they needed to include in their detective stories. They then made their own decisions about dialogue, figurative language, clues, red herrings, other characters and the solution. Excerpts from some of their stories are included for your enjoyment.

Max has always had a thing for puzzles and solving mysteries, he had been solving them since he was eleven years old. He has been fond of this and has become quite fast at solving them. It had started five years ago when his class went to a mystery solving excursion, that’s also where he met ‘The Agent Ps’ – a duo of Agent Polly and Agent Potter.

Max would be able to solve most of the crimes with ease whereas his other classmates could not. Max had caught The Agent Ps’ eyes and he was quickly enrolled to be a detective.

Throughout his whole time being mentored by The Agent Ps, he had gone on different missions as a helper and gotten jobs to investigate even further. But this time was different. He was on his own, a convenience store worker, when trouble struck. (Isabella)

They peered through the window like spies and saw the most popular girl in the school, Alice. They used their super, powerful binoculars and turned it to the highest zoom setting. Alice flicked her golden, blonde hair that shone in the sunlight. They saw a few strands of her hair fall down. The telepathic twins didn’t need to communicate with each other to know what they were thinking. The door out to the back was wide open and the mascot’s costume was near it.

The door led to a brown wall with sunlight coming from the lift. They poked their heads out and saw that there was a big garbage bin there with a muffled voice coming from it. Mary and Lily cautiously opened the lid and found a person with a mask around his mouth and a rope tying his hands behind him. (Anaya)

Mary woke up groggily with a Monday ahead of her. She dragged herself over to her closet and pulled on a hoodie and jeans. She slowly ate breakfast, slowly walked to the bus stop and slowly walked through the school gates. Mary looked around drearily and saw Alice Marigold surrounded by her many friends. She was probably bragging. As the talkative group of girls brushed past her, she heard Alice’s squeaky voice: ‘And I just got a new limousine, my own private chef and my own mansion.’ Mary rolled her eyes and headed to her classroom.

Anne Morrison
English Learning Leader

On Monday 25 March the Year 9 Brainstretching Mathematics elective class attended an excursion to Werribee Zoo. In the lead-up to the excursion, the students had studied the use of networks and graphs for decision-making processes, then performed critical path analyses to determine the crucial activities and their timing. The students embraced an opportunity to be in a setting where significant real-life projects are managed and where they were able to ask questions.

We were greeted at the gate by the friendly Zoo staff who escorted everyone to an out of bounds area from the public to examine a previously used enclosure for meerkats. Our class project management assignment was about moving a meerkat enclosure, so it was perfect to hear about the move of the meerkats from this older enclosure to their current enclosure. We were informed the meerkats are moving again next year, once the Melbourne Zoo elephants take up residence in their new Werribee home on the range, and that the meerkats will then be on the way to the old elephants’ enclosure at Melbourne Zoo.

Students were interested to learn how clickers are used to train the animals and to assist with movement of animals between enclosures, as well as bringing them in for health check-ups. It will be an interesting day indeed when the elephants travel from Melbourne to Werribee via shipping containers carried on trucks.

The students were able to learn about the critically endangered Orange-Bellied Parrots, and were able to see the ‘pink ladies’ – a group of older parrots, too old to be released into the wild, so they enjoy a special enclosure to see out their days. The highlight of the day was perhaps the safari tour, which offered a chance to be up close to the many animals out on the savannah plains, and to count the number of Blackbucks in order to solve a posed counting problem (one male and 29 females!). Then, having just been told how dangerous the ostriches are considered to be should they ever escape, it was with some trepidation that everyone sat still in the tour bus as the ostriches decided to stop the bus and give it a bit of a close check over.

An excellent day was had at the zoo, and then in the subsequent lessons, many interesting discussions could be heard as the class used their collected information to manage the set project and answer the numerous problem-solving questions posed.

Leanne Whiteroad
Mathematics Teacher

Homework Club is for students in Year 7 to 10 who would like help with their school work or upcoming assessment tasks. Homework Club runs every Monday and Thursday from 3.30pm-4.30pm in the Learning Commons.

Claire Feain
Learning Diversity Coordinator

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the .

Please visit for a FAQ sheet with more information about the NCCD. You can also obtain further information about the NCCD on the .

Catherine Burke
Learning Diversity Coordinator

Hi everyone! Welcome back to Term 2! Strap yourselves in, this term is quite the rollercoaster!

In Term 1, our amazing SRC team underwent a lengthy application process before they were eventually announced to the school. Now, along with the help of Ms Koenig-Doig we are in preparations for Dare2Donate! With only 13 sleeps until the big day arrives, we are all very excited! We are also thrilled to announce that this year, there will be a Spirit Week in the lead-up to Dare2Donate. Running from 13 - 17 May, Spirit Week will incorporate many exciting activities, including a MasterChef Challenge between teachers, where students will have the opportunity to taste test their teachers’ creations, and the new Rock Paper Scissors competition! Students will have the opportunity to battle it out for all the glory in a week-long rock, paper, scissors battle! All proceeds generated from Spirit Week and Dare2Donate will be donated to McAuley for Women and Children, so make sure to get involved! Dares and Mega Dares are in the works, so remember to bring a gold coin in order to come to the Dare2Donate extravaganza at lunch time. We hope to see you there!

Jessica B (12MAMN) and Nathasha J (12CRIV)
College Captains

For the last three months, the 91ÊÓƵ Theatre has been buzzing with 65 performers from 91ÊÓƵ and Marcellin eagerly rehearsing for the upcoming M² Production Chicago - High School Edition. On Tuesday afternoons and Sundays, the theatre comes to life with singing, dancing and acting. The cast and crew have been working tirelessly to bring to life what is set to be a fabulous show.

Tickets are on sale now, so get in quickly as it will inevitably sell out. We hope to see you there!

Felicia Taine and Hayley Gamble Curran

Student Reflection:

Going to Chicago rehearsals is genuinely one of the highlights of my week. I walk in the theatre and am greeted by an incredible energy that I just can't get anywhere else. Our teachers and cast have worked so hard to put on an incredible performance that we are so excited to share with all of you. You're not ready for the impeccable talent (and razzle dazzle) that comes out of this M² Production!

Georgia R (10MMPA) - Ensemble Member

Performance Dates:

Friday 17 May – 7.00 pm
Saturday 18 May – 2.00 pm and 7.00 pm
Wednesday 22 May – 7.00 pm
Friday 24 May – 7.00 pm
Saturday 25 May – 2.00 pm and 7.00 pm

Every year, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) curates concerts of the most successful VCE Drama Solo and Theatre Studies Monologue exams from the previous year. Top Class performers are selected from students who have achieved an A or an A+ on their VCE performance examination.

There are around 2500 VCE Drama students that complete the performance exam each year and out of those students, 20 students from around the state are selected to perform at the prestigious Top Class concerts. This year they were presented at the Melbourne Recital Centre.

Ruby Mackay from the Class of 2023 was one of the very talented students invited to perform this year. The Drama solo exam is a self-devised seven minute performance based on one of the 10 characters prescribed by the VCAA. Ruby chose to create a performance based on Eliza Emily Donnithorne, a real-life woman from the 1800s who after being left at the altar, became a recluse. Ruby’s performance was a cleverly scripted piece that demonstrated research and outstanding performance skills. She worked diligently on the task and was rewarded with an excellent result. Congratulations Ruby!

Felicia Taine
VCE Drama Teacher

On Friday 19 April the Year 11 and 12 Drama classes went on an excursion to Top Class, where we saw the best of the best Year 12 Drama students from 2023 perform their individual solos. We saw many different styles and ways of performing. My favourite performance was the one based on Six, the Musical. I particularly loved the use of props and costumes. It was an amazing opportunity and experience that will be very valuable when we are planning and performing solos for assessment.

Jaimi B (11MJBA)

On Friday 19 April the Year 11 and 12 Drama class went with the Year 12 Theatre Studies class to watch the Top Class performances at the Melbourne Recital Centre. Together we watched the best Year 12 Theatre Studies monologue performances from 2023, where performers were given a list of prompts and monologues to choose from. The performers either chose to act and direct for a monologue or design for their chosen script through two of the six production areas. Overall, it was an amazing experience as we got the chance to watch performances that we will also be doing at the end of the year. The performances were all creative and entertaining to watch, making it a very fun day!

Grace N (11CJSE)

On Thursday 15 March, the VCE Drama and Theatre Studies classes as well as the Year 10 Live Production class had the amazing opportunity to see the magical performance of Wicked at the Regent Theatre. As this was a part of our assessment tasks, it allowed students to consider all aspects of what makes a production come to life. This performance was an amazing experience and for some of us, our first look at live theatre.

Throughout the performance we were not only entertained, but also educated about the intricacies of stagecraft, character development, and the power of storytelling. One of our favourite parts of the musical was certainly ‘Defying Gravity’; an impressive, powerful song that also evoked a few tears (especially from Ms Taine and Ms Gamble)! We were inspired by the energy each actor brought to the characters and the vibrancy of each scene that created an exuberant, lively atmosphere. We are all so grateful to have had this opportunity and loved every moment!

Jasmine P (11AMJE) and Rosie F (11AMJE)

The 91ÊÓƵ Parents’ Association invite all students to come along with their Mother, Grandmother or a special person in their lives to a

Mother’s Day Celebration
Thursday 9 May 7.00 pm
in the McAuley Hall, Cape St, Heidelberg.

This is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the wonderful women in our lives and to get to know others in the 91ÊÓƵ community. The evening will commence with a short liturgy and will be followed by a delicious supper served by the Parents’ Association Committee.

To book a group/table, you can either purchase the whole table in one booking or purchase a ticket on an available table and then notify your guests of the table number they should specify when booking. If you want to rename the table so that your fellow guests can identify the table easily, please contact:

Rowena Babuin-Lamberti: rbabuinlamberti@olmc.vic.edu.au

Tables will seat 10 people.

To book individual tickets, purchase the required number on any available table.

Tickets: $15 per person or $40 per family

We hope that you can join us for this very special event.

Please see the Mothers Day Raffle Flyer for the array of outstanding prizes.

91ÊÓƵ Parents' Association (PA) Bunnings Sausage Sizzle: A Resounding Success!

What a fantastic day we had at the Bunnings Sausage Sizzle on Sunday 28 April! We want to extend a huge thank you to all our dedicated volunteers and everyone who supported us, making this fundraising event such a success, achieving $2,200 profit.

The day was bustling with activity and filled with fun. We were delighted to see familiar faces, long queues and repeat customers, showing the wonderful support of our community.

Thank you once again to everyone involved for making it such a memorable and successful day!

Nikki Reynolds
91ÊÓƵ Parents’ Association

SIMON Everywhere is a new App for smart phones that allows parents to access all information relating to their daughter such as reports, grades, attendance and much more. It also allows you to update medical information, advise on absences, late and early leave passes, give permission for excursions, access teacher emails and also receive notifications from the College.

During the next few months, it is requested that all parents have the SIMON Everywhere app installed. For parents familiar with PAM, the new App works mostly the same as PAM and you can still access however, the app has additional functionality such as push notifications and the ability to sign in without having to enter your username and password each time.

Instructions for the downloading and installation of the app can be found in the flyer below.

Doug Wright
Digital Strategies Coordinator

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.