A weekly snippet of what’s happening ‘behind the hedge’ at Mercedes College…
Last week, our Junior School students spent the day at their annual Swimming Carnival.
The theme for the day was fun… and it was on display across all our year levels. Everyone took part in a range of activities, whether that was in our novelty races, or the 25m and 50m competitions.
At the end of the day, it was Barry who took home the win, completing our Term 1 House points collection.
Barry, 1044
McAuley, 997
Fitzpatrick, 699
Dalton, 645
Keep an eye out for the Term 1 House results, to be announced soon!
After taking part in our Mercedes College Pétanque Tournaments, our winning teams competed against other schools in the South Australian French Teacher Association Competition.
Our two Primary and two Secondary teams had a great night and enjoyed each game, meeting other students and of course sharing in some delicious croissants!
Congratulations to one of our Primary teams for getting all the way to the Quarter Finals, where they lost on the very last shot!
Last week, our Year 8 cohort spent the day together at The Monastery for their Reflection Day.
Students enjoyed a range of activities, with highlights including a panel of speakers, exploring the Sacred Gardens, and taking part in Archery tag.
It was the perfect balance to deepen student bonds, contemplate personal spirituality, and learn more about planning and priorities away from the everyday school routine.
Our year level Reflection Days and Retreats are always a key moment for our students, as they bring everyone together to learn more themselves and each other – which all bodes well for strengthening connections and relationships back in the classroom.
Last week, our Year 4 and Year 5 students were delighted by the classic Russian folktale, ‘Peter and the Wolf’, brought to life by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
These students have been learning about different musical instruments in class and the opportunity to see and hear the different instrument groups ‘come to life’ as characters in this classic tale was a great experience. Narration by Justine Clarke was a wonderful addition and helped bring all the elements together.
An added bonus for students was to watch one of our new String Ensemble Directors, Sterling Reick, perform in the show – he played the Viola in the role as Peter.
If your child is interested in learning an orchestral instrument, please complete an expression of interest form, here.
Last week, as part of their studies in Spiritualities, Religion and Meaning, Year 11 students welcomed guests from the Abraham Institute, an organisation committed to promoting interfaith and intercultural dialogue, understanding, and respect.
Louis, Rachel, and Catherine shared perspectives from the Jewish and Bahá’í faiths while discussing the shared religious principle known as The Golden Rule.
The Golden Rule, which we recognise in Catholicism, essentially translates to ‘treating others the way you would like to be treated’.
This also reflects our Mercy Key of Mutual Respect.
This week, our Year 10 STEP students got some crucial life skills in car safety and maintenance.
With a focus on developing an understanding of safety features and what to look for when purchasing a first car, students also got some hands-on practice in changing a tyre, checking oil levels, and filling coolant.
These sessions are a great example of the work we do in STEP, which offers students real-life experiences in a range of activities, to complement learning in the classroom, and to help them prepare for life beyond the hedge.
Last week, our Year 3s enjoyed perfect weather as they all went for a hike up Brownhill to see the views across the city to the ocean.
As well as being a great physical experience, this hike also focused on teamwork, persistence and communication skills. Once they reached the summit, students stopped for lunch, and the view before returning back to class.
Our Senior Dance students recently had the opportunity to work with professional practitioners from the Australian Dance Theatre (ADT), to develop their contemporary, creative creation, and hip-hop skills.
This series of workshops is a great way to challenge our students to try new genres of performance, and the opportunity to work with the world-renowned ADT was a wonderful chance to focus on developing new skills from the best in the business.
Families and Coaches are invited to attend our Winter Sport Launch as we prepare for Co-Curricular Extension Activities in Term 2 and 3. This is your chance to hear from our specialist Directors in Football, Netball, Basketball and Soccer and to hear about our plans for the 2026 season. Coaches will also be given their Handbook, coaching kit and other relevant coaching information.
This is a great opportunity to meet other families in shared sports and to connect with coaches and staff ahead of the start of the season.
Please let us know you are coming along…
Wednesday 8 April 2026
Gleeson Theatre
Primary Sport (Year 2 – Year 6) | 3.45pm – 4.30pm
Secondary Sport (Year 7 – Year 12) | 5.30pm – 7.30pm
As we approach the end of our fundraising for Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion 2026, our Year 12s are raising awareness of the common global challenges faced by children, who have to walk long distances to access clean water, often at the expense of their education.
On Wednesday 8 April, our Year 12 cohort will carry a range of water containers and walk around our Main Oval, in a show of solidarity for these children and their communities.
Families wishing to support these enterprising students can donate directly to this cause online, or drop some coins to Year 12s on the day.
This activity has been planned in the lead up to Caritas Day on Friday 10 April, when our Campus will turn into a marketplace of activities, games and stalls where all funds raised will to go Project Compassion 2026.
We were delighted to have more than 200 families join us at our Performing Arts Evening last week. Hosted by our Year 12 Arts Leaders, Eleanor and Pallas, guests enjoyed demonstrations by instrumental tutors, bands, choirs, and senior music students.
Next term, we will be putting on our performance of Little Women. If you have some time and the skill to help our wardrobe department – we’d love to hear from you. You just need to be handy with sewing costumes! Contact Jayan Mace for more details.
Our Outdoor Education students have been studying the reef and aquatic ecosystem around Port Noarlunga, examining the health and biodiversity of the area and participating in a beach clean-up linked to the importance of localised stewardship.
They have also recently begun preparations for their upcoming four-day kayaking camp at Ral Ral Creek, practising kayaking techniques and capsize rescues that will help them independently navigate the river during their camp.
Our students love heading out beyond our hedge to see more of the world around them, to learn invaluable life skills about the environment, survival and interactions with nature.
Note: Mother’s Day Lunch (Friday 8 May) tickets selling fast!
More upcoming activities can be found on the College Calendar.
