Brand Pride - 70 years in the making
This year, as part of our celebrations of 70 years of Mercy education at Mercedes College, we have an enamel anniversary pin for all our students and staff to wear.
This commemorative pin will be distributed in the coming days through Home Groups and we look forward to seeing our community wearing it with pride!
We also look forward to sharing all the upcoming community events we have planned to celebrate this College milestone.
Year of Mercy
At the start of this week our students, staff and families gathered for our first community prayer of 2024.
It was wonderful to see us all come together to welcome new people, set our year's intention as the Year of Mercy, and challenged everyone to live the Mercy Keys daily in this, our 70th year.
Year 6 to Year 12 Swimming Carnival
Show your House Spirit!
All students attending tomorrow's Swimming Carnival (Friday 9 February) are encouraged to show their House spirit by wearing a Polo or T-shirt in their House colours (blue, green, red or yellow) with their Mercedes College PE shorts. Please ensure the are no logos or images - just a plain top. We are also looking forward to seeing the colourful costumes our Year 12s have prepared for their final Swimming Carnival at Mercedes College! We'd love to encourage families who are coming along to cheer swimmers on to wear their family's House colours as well. We'd love to see a sea of colour at the event!
Important reminders:
- Kiss and Drop will be closed in both the morning (from 8am) and afternoon due to buses transporting students to and from the Carnival
- Please be mindful of line markings and neighbour driveways when parking in Delamere Avenue - and look out for all students walking to College
- Year 12s must arrive at school in their House coloured top and College shorts, and bring their costume to change into at the Aquatic Centre
- The College Shop will be closed tomorrow due to the Carnival
Family Information Sessions
Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 February
Parents and caregivers are invited to meet with Year Level Leaders and classroom teachers and gain insight into what the 2024 academic year will look like for their child.
Click here to register your attendance (reminder: these sessions are for parents only, not students).
Junior School
Tuesday 13 February
Reception to Year 2 | 6pm to 6.45pm in classrooms
Year 3 to Year 4 | 7pm to 7.45pm in classrooms
Year 5 | 7pm to 7.45pm in Mercy Lecture Theatre
Middle School
Monday 12 February
Year 6 | 6pm to 7pm in Mercy Lecture Theatre
Year 7 | 6pm to 7pm in Junior School Hall
Year 8 | 7.15pm to 8.15pm in Mercy Lecture Theatre
Year 9 | 7.15pm to 8.15pm in Junior School Hall
Senior School
Tuesday 13 February
Year 10 | 6pm to 7pm in Mercy Lecture Theatre
Year 11 | 6pm to 7pm in Carmel Bourke Library
Year 12 | 6pm to 7pm in Senior School Study
Food and Wine Welcome Event
Our first welcome event of the year is just around the corner, and we are looking foward to seeing as many of you as possible to celebrate the start of year and to welcome new families to our College community. What a great way to kick off our 70th anniversary celebrations!
Pizza, Paella, and Pinot...
The event will be held in the Rose Garden on Thursday 22 February from 3.30pm - 7.30pm with Wood Oven Pizzas, Paella, and some delightful sweet treats. All food will be cooked freshly on site, and we have Gluten Free and Vegetarian options available.
Each ticket includes a 10-inch Wood Oven Pizza (GF available) or a bowl of Paella (vegetarian available) - plus a free soft drink or juice for children!
Adults will also receive a 70th Anniversary stemless wine tumbler to start their wine tasting in style - Cheers to 70 years!
Book your tickets today and we look forward to seeing you there!
Arts Action
Our Year 3 Strings Immersion Progam has started, with all Year 3 students trying their hand at violin, viola, or cello. It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm of this cohort as they try something new!
Learning music is a great way to enhance a child's learning across all of their studies. In addition to the all-round music program we offer in the Junior School, students can opt in to choirs, ensembles and bands from Year 2, through our Curriculum Extension program. This year we have some new offerings, including a Middle School Percussion Ensemble, and Dance Teams! It's not too late to enquire - send a SEQTA Direqt Message to Lauren Vilanova for more information.
We also have a wonderful team of specialist tutors who can provide private voice and instrumental lessons, in a huge variety of instruments including piano, guitar, drums, saxophone, violin and more! Check out this video to learn more about the benefits of learning an intrument, and get in touch with our Music Department to secure a spot for your young musician.
Meanwhile, we are busy progressing auditions for our 2024 Year 7-12 College Musical and look forward to sharing more details with you soon!
Creative Science
This week, our Year 11 Chemistry students mixed creativity with science, using fire to ignite 'chemical writing' as part of their studies.
Using filter paper and a solution of sodium nitrate, students wrote messages that became invisible when they dried... until touched by fire when all was revealed!
It felt a little like Hogwarts in the Courtyard!
Become a Community Mentor
We'd like to invite our families to consider becoming one of our Community Mentors as part of our 2024 Student Mentoring Program.
Community Mentors are matched with a student (or students...) based on their skills and interests. Time spent mentoring students is very flexible and can be adapted to suit different schedules and commitments.
If you are interested in learning more, or would like to register to become a Community Mentor, please complete this short form sharing your details, or you are welcome to join us for a morning tea and information session to learn more about the program - we would love to see you there!
Student Mentoring Program
Morning tea information session
Friday 23 February 2024
9am - 10.30am
Strathspey Parlour
RSVP here
Old Scholar Night of Reunions
As part of our 70th anniversary year, the reunions scheduled for 2024 will all take place at Adelaide Oval on Saturday 2 March.
Each cohort will celebrate with their classmates in their own Suite, overlooking the pristine grounds, city lights, and iconic Cathedral, as Mercedes College takes over the stadium.
If you are a member of the Classes of 1974, 1984, 1994, 2004, 2014, or 2019, you won't want to miss this night of nights!
What a wonderful way to celebrate 5 decades of friendships at Mercedes College.
Book your ticket now!
College Uniform Shop - Opening Hours
Our College Uniform Shop, located opposite the Main Oval in the McAuley Building, has new opening hours:
Monday and Tuesday | 8am to 2pm
Wednesday | Closed
Thursday and Friday | 9am to 4pm
Note: the College Shop is closed Friday 9 February 2024.