The Spring Carnival always brings with it much fun and celebration but also reminds us how little time is left in this year. The carnival did not bring its normal spring weather. We hold in our prayers all those communities continuing to live with the possibility or the aftermath of recent floods.

Year 12 exams are well underway and we continue to keep them in our thoughts and prayers and wish them all the very best.

In the coming weeks we welcome our Year 7 2023 families to their first information night. We hope the evening will be an exciting time for families beginning their journey with OLMC. For those families who are introducing another child to OLMC, we hope that it remains an exciting time for you too. The night marks the beginning of our partnership in the learning of each child.

Congratulations to the members of the Social Justice team and staff who recently achieved second place in the Rerum Novarum Awards. The award recognises the work of the students in collaboration with St Pius Primary School. A more detailed outline of their achievements is available in this newsletter.

As we move further into November, exams will begin for students in Year 10 and 11. Following this will be an Orientation program for both year levels as they prepare for the next phase of their VCE studies. The program has been developed with the specific future needs of the students at its heart. The program will enable students to develop an understanding of the expectations ahead of them and offer some strategies that they may use over the break to prepare for next year. Our expectation is that all students would make this a priority.

November is a time of remembrance. On Friday 11 November it is Remembrance Day, a time to pause and remember those who have given their lives in the service of their country. I leave you with this prayer.

Lord, You sent Your Son to lead us into the peace of Your Kingdom. Look with kindness on all
who have served the cause of peace in our armed forces. Send Your comfort and healing to
their families, and to all who suffer due to war and conflict. May Your Son’s Gospel message
of peace burn ever more brightly in our hearts, our words and our actions, and lead all to
fullness of life in You. We make this prayer to you through this same Jesus Christ,
our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday 2 November is Commemoration of All of the Faithful Departed or All Souls.

On this day and throughout November, we pray that all those who have died— our loved ones and also those people around the world who we will never meet— through the mercy of God will rest in peace.

Merciful Father,
On this day, we are called to remember those who have died,
Particularly those who have died in the past year,
And pray for their joyful reunion with you, their loving creator.
As your son taught us to call the stranger
neighbour, our fallen are many—

Names we will never know,
Voices we have never heard,
In lands we may never visit,
Yet brothers and sisters all.
And so we pray.

For victims of war, caught in the crossfires of conflicts we could not quell,
for soldiers and civilians, adults and children, we pray …
Grant eternal rest, O Lord.

For those migrants who have died seeking a haven where they hoped to find safety
and opportunity for themselves and for their families, we pray …
Grant eternal rest, O Lord.

For victims of hunger denied their share in the bounty you have placed before us, we pray …
Grant eternal rest, O Lord.

For victims of COVID, AIDS, Malaria, Ebola, and other infectious diseases,
who died before adequate care could reach them, we pray …
Grant eternal rest, O Lord.

For those refugees seeking asylum from war,
who died in a land that was not their home, we pray …
Grant eternal rest, O Lord.

For victims of emergencies and calamities everywhere,
who died amid chaos and confusion, we pray …
Grant eternal rest, O Lord.

Lord, as you command, we reach out to the fallen.
We call on you on behalf of those we could not reach this year.

You raised your son from the dead
that all may share in his joyful resurrection.

In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

The Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools posed the following challenge to Catholic Schools for 2022.
‘In the midst of a global pandemic, as we adapt to our “new normal”, Pope Francis calls on us to respond to the “Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor”. How will you answer the call?’

OLMC’s Social Justice representatives across all year levels worked to create a program to connect further with St Pius X Primary School. The two schools have had a strong collaborative relationship for many years. A large group of Year 10 students visit the school every Tuesday afternoon for the Reading Club through Saint Vincent de Paul’s. This project set up a range of initiatives to connect with students whose education and community connections were severely impacted over the two years of the pandemic.

Through our Year 9 Horizon Program, students wrote letters, sent stationary kits, made videos of themselves reading their favourite children’s books, made interactive maths games with video tutorials and the Year 7s made Orientation Videos to help the Grade 6s feel confident about their transition to Secondary School.

OLMC received a $1000 participation grant, and a further $2000 for our Silver Award. These grants will help us to further develop our work with St Pius X Primary School in the years ahead.

Thank you to all the students and staff who were involved.

Lauren Marquet
Social Justice Coordinator

November is upon us, we have students completing VCE exams in History, Accounting, Business Management, Global Politics and Legal Studies, and our Learning Area wishes the cohort all the very best. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire Humanities team - those teachers who cultivated the Class of 2022’s thinking over the years, considered their writing, conducted the classroom conversations, and encouraged them to use evidence when answering questions and exploring topics in Years 7-11.

Thank you to those 2022 tenacious teachers who have nurtured and extended our Units 3 and 4 Humanities students. Our students are the beneficiaries of years of experience, hours of work and often a combination of the two! These endeavours extend beyond the classroom, and below are a handful of activities that have kept the Humanities Learning Area humming along over the past couple of months:

Inaugural Revolutions Study Soiree and Dinner
The Units 3 and 4 History class held an early evening study soiree and pizza dinner, inviting students from The Academy of Mary Immaculate and Yarra Valley Grammar to join them for conversations about the Russian Revolution. Mini lectures were given. Educational games were played. The Ra-Ra-Rasputin ‘Let’s Dance’ boogie-off was contested. Much fun - and intellectual challenge - was experienced, and thank you to Mr Patrick Smithers for his idea, organisation and hosting of the event.

Year 10 Commerce - Business Focus on Burgundy Street
Short excursions within the local area are not to be discounted, especially when learning about an engaging business curriculum can be combined with Burgundy Street chicken-salted chips! Last month, our Year 10 Commerce class ventured locally to contemplate the positioning of businesses along the main commercial strip. Students investigated why businesses selected particular spots, how their positioning allowed them to thrive and what factors contributed to their success. They also considered the advantages and disadvantages of being located along the strip compared to within Warringal Plaza. Thank you to Mr Russell Ives for initiating and conducting this session with his class.

At the Year 10 Political Convention in Melbourne
The Civics and Citizenship Pilot program was an extremely enjoyable experience that I was privileged to be a part of alongside other Year 10 students and Mr Ives. The program allowed for amazing group work which ultimately helped me to gain new friends and work with a diverse group of students. The topic this year was about compulsory voting. It was very interesting to debate and listen to the different perspectives from all around Australia and was such a new and enjoyable experience. The entire day was filled with activities, listening, discussions and plenty of time to share perspectives and opinions. Overall, the day was definitely worthwhile and is an experience that I would recommend to everyone!
From Natasha J. Year 10 (CRIV)

Rosemary Jones
Humanities Learning Leader

What a year it has been for our students this year in the Learning Commons.

We thank the wonderful students and staff who have welcomed new participants and that have been involved in the many activities that have occurred.

Our Book Club meets every Monday with students from Year 7 to 11. We discuss (and sometimes disagree!) about books we have loved and make recommendations to others. We have decided which books to buy for the collection and competed in Kahoots to win prizes and challenge ourselves. Some students also participated in the CBCA Shadow Judging project to determine which CBCA nominated book should really have won the prize this year.

The Creative Writing Club has been very well attended this year with a number of students submitting their work to various competitions, with a few students receiving awards and commendations. Author talks were well received and inspired the group to improve their writing and push through any bouts of writer's block.

The Makerspace has been a hive of activity on Thursdays as students created craft projects and made new friends. The Anime Club was a fun and collaborative space on Fridays with students sharing their love of the genre.

We encourage any interested students to come along and participate in the many activities on offer in 2023.

Anna Apfelstedt
Learning Commons Coordinator

There is a concept in Science education called ‘science capital’. This is a measure of the total experiences young people have in Science. It enables them to see themselves and to understand, use and work on science. Business and governments want to promote STEM careers to build Australia’s skilled workforce, so that our country can grow in innovation and problem solving, but promotion is useless unless students can see themselves in those roles.

Our Year 9 BrainSTEM team recently had a visit to the RMIT microscopy labs. They got to visit a research laboratory, a Biosafety Level 2 Laboratory, so the team had to enter through an airlock and wear full PPE – which was pretty exciting for us all.

Every time our students put on their lab gear and use the lab equipment, they build science capital and identity, but it is a battle against the corrosive effects of voices in their networks that say ‘science is hard, I can’t do science.’

During the holidays I spoke at the National Science Teachers Conference in Canberra about the ways that informal science communication can enrich science learning. Research from a decade ago found that 95% of every adult’s science knowledge was learned AFTER they finished school. This is why science at school is so important. It lays the foundations for success at work, in personal health behaviours, civic responsibility and in recreation. The keynote speaker was Nobel Prize winner Brian Schmidt who is the Vice Chancellor of ANU. He spoke about the importance of students having a broad range of skills, especially the so-called soft skills: communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and coding.

Earlier in the semester, we had nine teams of students compete in the Royal Australian Chemical Institute’s Titration Stakes Competition. Students, in teams of three, completed a series of two titrations to determine the concentration of a vinegar sample. Our highest performing team was Alyssa B. Year 12 (LJVA), Imogen C. Year 12 (AGGL) and Ailish H. Year 12 (MMWI). They came 20^th in the state (218 teams competed) and received a Silver Medal for their performance. As the highest performing OLMC team they were therefore this year’s winners of the OLMC Perpetual Titration Stakes Trophy. Three additional teams were awarded Bronze Medals based on the accuracy of their combined results.

Susan Long
Science Learning Leader

This article should hopefully provide some tips for parents and students on how to prepare for the upcoming exams, particularly in Mathematics for Years 10 and 11. In our classes between now and late November we will discuss preparation strategies and matters relating to the exam day.

Tips for the Lead up to Exams
Firstly, students should aim to eat well, exercise and sleep well in the lead up to exams.

Secondly, having a plan for revision is key. All students in Years 10 and 11 have had time during a recent pastoral lesson to develop their plan, to ensure that their study routine is not only clear but also realistic, and to revise. Access to templates for planning, as well as study tips, can be found on SIMON under School Links. ‘Study Habits Website.’

When it comes to revising for subjects, it is best not to spend too long on what you are confident that you already know. Students should aim to identify questions or skills that they find difficult and address these with their teacher before the exam period begins. Sometimes a short teacher conference can go a long way to addressing conceptual errors. Students should aim to see their teachers in class or make an appointment to touch base with their teacher outside of class time. This could be at a lunch break.

In Mathematics, students are able to bring a summary book into their exam, so it is important that students have an up-to-date summary book that adheres to the exam rules.

Tips for Reading in the Exam
Exam technique is critical to performing well and reflection on Semester One will help to identify what worked well, and what could be done better in this semester.

Students should make efficient use of reading time at the start of the exam. During reading time students should not be trying to solve questions in their heads but rather thinking about what areas of mathematics they have learned that will help them in solving the question. They should be conceptualising answers. For example, if they are presented with a question to find the span of a parabolic arch of a bridge, they should be thinking that this may involve finding the -intercepts of the parabola and devise a strategy for answering the question.

During reading time, students should consider the complexity of the questions in the exam. They might make a mental note of which questions they should complete first. The exam does not have to be answered in the order the questions are presented. Students may identify that they will start at question five and then move to question two. Effective reading will allow students to determine how they are going to ‘attack’ the exam. This is the case for all subjects. Devising a strategy for answering the easier questions first will leave time for the more difficult questions later. Answering easier questions first will also build confidence as the exam progresses.

Problem Solving in the Exam
In approaching problem-solving questions in Mathematics, students should be using highlighters to underline key words and instructions in the question. Students should be drawing diagrams where possible to help the cognitive process. Students should draw on the areas of maths they have covered which are relevant to the problem and think about what concepts are applicable to the problem.

At the End of the Exam
As we get to the end of the exam time, students should check their answers at the end of the exam to avoid any careless errors. If students have the time, they should thoroughly check their responses to ensure that they have followed all instructions and that they have eliminated any mistakes. Students should also think about the reasonableness of their answers. Does the answer fit the context?

Good luck to all the Year 10 and 11 students in undertaking their Mathematics exams this semester.

Mark Vorster
Mathematics Learning Leader

As part of the transition from Year 8 into Year 9, the Year Level recently attended an assembly with Ms Gabby Tabban which focussed on the 2023 Horizon program.

The Year 8 cohort got the chance to participate in an interactive Q&A session with Ms Tabban and three current Year 9 students, Bianca, Nari and Scarlett. They listened to the students’ favourite memories about the Program including fun camp activities, collaborating with a range of different groups of students and being more independent in their learning. They gave the students tips such as choosing their IBL group based on topics that they are most interested in rather than what friends are doing. Students were reminded that they will be in new Pastoral Groups again next year and were encouraged to take up the opportunity to meet some students that they may not have had the chance to work with previously.

There are also many leadership opportunities available for students to consider in 2023. In addition to the Semester Class Captains, the Year 9 students explained the roles of the Peer Support Leaders and Vice House Captains. Students will be able to apply for these leadership positions early next year.

Rowena Thomson
Year 8 Coordinator

OLMC Lucky Fees Raffle for 2022

Each year the Parents’ Association runs a Lucky Fees Raffle to raise funds that support and enhance educational opportunities and the community life at OLMC.

Tickets are $10 each or 10 for $70.

To purchase the tickets please see below "Ticket Purchases Here" or go to Trybooking.com and search OLMC

The raffle will be drawn on Friday 18 November at the College.

Winners will be notified by phone or email and results published in the Newsletter.

Your support in the sale of the raffle tickets is gratefully appreciated.

OLMC Parents’ Association

A public lecture sponsored by Banyule Churches Together featuring Fr. Frank Brennan SJ AO.

Frank Brennan is a Jesuit priest and Rector of Newman College at the University of Melbourne.

He is a Distinguished Fellow of the PM Glynn Institute at Australian Catholic University, an Adjunct Professor at the Thomas More Law School at ACU and research professor at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture.

He chaired the National Human Rights Consultation for the Rudd Government and was a member of the Turnbull Government’s expert panel which conducted the Religious Freedom Review. The Morrison Government appointed him to the Voice Co-Design Senior Advisory Group to help guide the Co-Design process to develop options for an Indigenous voice to government. Frank serves on the boards of Jesuit Social Services and the National Apology Foundation for Indigenous Australians and on the Advisory Council of the Global Foundation. His research interests include conscience and faith, human rights and the rule of law, and the rights of Indigenous peoples and asylum seekers.

Try out a musical instrument available for tuition at Our Lady of Mercy College Heidelberg, learn some basic skills and techniques, and experience what it’s like to learn music at the College.

These half hour sessions in small groups give Grade 6 students a chance to try out a musical instrument before we welcome them as students to OLMC Heidelberg in 2023.

Choose one or two 30 minute sessions focused on the following instrument groups:

• Woodwind
• Brass
• Strings.

You can try out two instruments by selecting a different one for each session time.

Playing a musical instrument can be a lifelong source of enjoyment, and lead to many academic and social benefits. OLMC Heidelberg has an extensive music program, with tuition available for a wide range of instruments.

There are many benefits that come from learning music at OLMC Heidelberg, including:

• A carefully selected and appropriately qualified tutor
• Regular monitoring of a student’s progress; feedback to parents via progressive rubrics
• Ensemble participation at an appropriate level
• Opportunities for examinations and assessments
• Regular performance opportunities
• The ability to earn commendations and other College awards
• Making friends across year levels
• Ease of access to lessons.

Experience OLMC Heidelberg offers girls in primary school a chance to try subjects they can study at the College. Together we can learn, lead and be the best we can be. We are empowered together.

Elizabeth Baxter
Leader of Marketing and Development

The Design, Art and Technology (DAT) Building has been entered in the Learning Environments Victorian Chapter Awards and is now in the running for the People’s Choice Award.

The awards recognise excellence in planning, design and construction of educational facilities.

To cast a vote, follow the link below "Like the Instagram Post Here".

Voting closes on Thursday 17 November.

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.