Important Message from Principal Vince Bellini
- Mercy Stories
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
As we approach the end of another academic year, I have found myself reflecting on the past 12 months since being appointed Principal of Our Lady of Mercy College. During my interview, I was asked what I hoped to achieve in this role. My response was simple, I wanted to hear the voices of all members of our community, students, staff and parents.
With the support of our Year 12 Leaders, we launched a student survey at the beginning of the year, followed by staff feedback opportunities, and most recently, the Parent and Caregiver survey, which was shared last week via email and SMS.
A reminder for the Parent and Caregiver survey will be sent next Monday, ahead of its closing date on Wednesday, 12 November. As of writing this Mercy Story, we have received over 170 responses from families, representing just under 25% of our student population.
The feedback so far has been positive, with a few areas that warrant deeper exploration. I sincerely thank those families who have taken the time to provide comments, and I look forward to presenting the findings at our Annual Community Meeting (ACM) on Wednesday, 3 December 2025.
At the ACM, we will also hear reports from the College Advisory Council and the Parents and Friends Committee. Additionally, we will be seeking three new members for the College Advisory Council and welcoming volunteers to assist with the P&F group.
If you are interested in attending or being part and having a voice for the future direction of our vibrant community, please keep an eye out for further information to come.
Social Media
As you may be aware, starting 10 December, Australia will introduce legislation banning social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Snapchat, TikTok, X, Reddit, Kick, and YouTube, for children under 16. This will impact all students in Years 7, 8, and 9, and will affect students in Years 10 and 11 until they turn 16.
Schools are increasingly managing issues that originate outside their parameters, and we strive to support students and families as best we can when these matters enter the school environment. Having worked in education for nearly 30 years, I have witnessed firsthand the evolution of mobile phones and the increasing use of social media with smartphones by students. Beginning 10 December, I am asking parents, for your support in supporting the staff, to ensure phones are not to be used on the school premises. Students may still bring their phones to school, but they must be stored in lockers once they arrive to school.
This represents a significant cultural shift from current practice. While the legislation focuses on major social media companies, we believe that by encouraging students to engage without devices, once at school, we can support parents in their efforts to keep young people off these social media platforms. You only have to walk through our corridors to see the number of students on snapchat or scrolling their Instagram feeds to understand the impact this is having in our school. I will communicate this to all students next week via Pastoral Care class.
To assist with families to gain a better understanding of the Social Media ban and the implications, I have included several helpful links below, including from the eSafety Commissioner and webinars that parents can attend online.
Thank you for your continued support and involvement in College life.
Vince Bellini Principal