Year 5 PYP Learners Shine

Last night, our Year 5 students proudly presented their PYP Exhibition to family and staff, with peers touring the space with their teachers today.

Choosing themes focused on issues of personal, local, national and international importance, groups researched their topic and presented not only the issue at hand, but also the solutions our community can influence through action.

Some examples of the exhibitions included topics such as Food Waste and World Hunger, Health of our Oceans, Fast Fashion, Homelessness, Overfishing, and Habitat Loss.

Students demonstrated their creativity and extensive learning, with displays and activities incorporating craft, audience participation, dioramas, and posters, to name a few.

This annual event is a true celebration of the learning our students have committed to during their Junior School years, as part of our IB structure.

Service to Student Mentoring

As part of their recent Community Service Placements, a number of Year 11 students chose to begin their mentoring journey by joining our Student Mentoring Programme (SMP).

Being a Student Mentor is an important experience that has a range of positive benefits. Volunteer students received instruction about activities and conversation techniques that support other students in building their wellbeing, capacity, and capability.

An excellent show of student engagement, these positive relationships will continue as students take up a role with our Year 12 Student Mentor group in 2026.

Top 10 Success

Last term, our Year 7 students took on the LaunchBox by Fleet challenge, building small satellites, configuring software, testing, and documenting the data they could generate.

Submitting their learning to Fleet Space Technologies alongside students from more than 200 schools from around the State, one of our teams has made the top 10 and will have their CubeSat launched at a special event this weekend!

The top two teams will be announced at the event on Sunday, with their CubeSats being launched into space by stratospheric balloons, and the remaining teams will launch their satellite by drones to a lesser height.

A one-of-a-kind celebration of space, science, and imagination, there will be the live satellite launches, drone demonstrations, food stalls, STEM challenges and exhibits, guest speakers and more - and it's free to attend if you want to see the results of this amazing learning experience and support our Year 7s' entry.

"Summit to the Stratosphere"
Sunday 2 November 2025
Summit Sport and Recreation Park
304 Springs Road
Mount Barker

This is a Fleet Space Technologies event, you can secure your free ticket here.

Good luck to our successful team: Mission Impausible - and congratulations on making the Top 10 in South Australia!

Protecting our Environment

Last week, our Year 4 students represented Mercedes College at the 2025 Schools' Environmental Education Day at Brownhill Creek Recreation Park.

Joining students from other local schools, our Year 4s participated in discussions and hands-on workshops about sustainability, biodiversity, and caring for our local environment.

Activities included testing water quality, building structures for bandicoot conservation, identification of native plants, testing soil health and much more, all directed by passionate experts, university students, and local conservation groups.

Students enjoyed learning in nature, connecting scientific concepts to real-life environments, and discovering the importance of protecting ecosystems for the next generation.

The future is in good hands!

Welcome Home

Over the weekend, we welcomed Old Scholars back to our Campus for their 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 year reunions.

After a tour of our Arts and Sports Precinct, they all moved to a transformed Staff Room, to enjoy a delicious array of canapes and refreshments whilst overlooking the Main Oval and watching the sun set.

There was much laughter and reminiscing, and as MOSA President Nick Pipinias (Class of 1995, McAuley) said in his official welcome: "every time you walk through these gates, it feels like home".

We're delighted that the bonds formed at Mercedes College continue to bring our past students together, regardless of the time that has passed since graduating.

A Zoo-tastic Experience

This week, as part of their Unit of Inquiry "How We Organise Ourselves", our Reception students navigated Adelaide Zoo using their maps.

They peeked at the penguins, talked to the tigers, and paused at the pandas, but the hands on learning was the most interesting of all.

Students did a great job organising their day, and came back with lots of wonderful memories!

Just Add Music

A highlight on the Junior School calendar is a visit from the J.A.M. Band, who say that anything can be made more fun if you... Just Add Music!

Combining humour, over-the-top shenanigans, and a lot of fun, band members got students involved, wearing costumes and completing tasks aligned to their characters - much to the delight of their peers.

It's a fantastic experience that asks students to have some fun and perform in front of other students. It all helps to build confidence and resilience and teaches them that taking a few risks, and doing something out of your comfort zone, can be a lot of fun!

Coming up...

• Monday 3 to Friday 7 November | Year 6 Canberra Trip
• Thursday 6 to Wednesday 12 November | SACE Art Show
• Monday 10 to Friday 14 November | Year 10 Outdoor Education Surf Camp
• Tuesday 11 November | Community Prayer, 8.45am (Remembrance Day) | Term 4 PEG Meeting, 5.30pm
• Thursday 13 to Friday 14 November | Year 4 Camp
• Thursday 13 November | Playgroup
• Friday 14 November | H-Edge Business Lunch
• Sunday 16 November | Christmas Picnic

Save the Date: 2026 Student Orientation Day | Friday 28 November

More upcoming activities can be found on the College Calendar.