Edition 1, Term 2 2020
MENU: From the Principal | From the ELC | Junior School | Senior School | Chaplain’s Chat | Community Relations
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
What profoundly impressive examples of human response we have seen to the challenges of a world in lockdown. Sunday’s ‘One World: Together At Home’ concert with some of music’s biggest names was organised to raise funds for front line health workers and the World Health Organisation. Simon Moss (OTG 2000) is a Co-Founder of Global Citizen, which is an organisation working to help end extreme poverty by 2030 worldwide, and the group which collaborated with Lady GaGa and others to get the concert up and going. The sort of creative thinking and technological ability describes a future that will undoubtedly be different in the way we all operate with each other once the pandemic effects have subsided. Congratulations to Simon and his team for the remarkable event.
It is true that the way we have commenced our term is different, but the underpinning purpose is still very evident in our ‘new’ daily lives. Visiting our fairly barren campus each day is a reminder of the value of human interaction; of course, having something taken away emphasises why we valued it in the first place. So, as a school, we have resolved to ensure that we continue to reflect what matters in the way that we go about working together, even if it is different.
Our school has experienced success in one form or another for 117 years. On the weekend, the last ten years of academic success was highlighted by The Age and many would have seen the article that reported on that success. It is testament to a great deal of good work undertaken by students, staff and families. Sustained success is never accidental. It always requires sustained effort.
Sustaining all aspects of our schooling is a challenge. While ‘in the background’ we are preparing to return to face to face teaching and are considering a range of scenarios, we cannot know, for instance, when we will get to start our winter sport season. Whereas we are determined to go ahead with our key milestone events, such as our Year 12 Formal, we cannot yet picture what they will look like or when they will take place.
There are many things we value that we can continue to do, though.
Outreach is a vital part of Trinity. A group we work with a lot, ‘Good Grub’, is in need of food donations as the residents it serves are isolated from their usual means of assistance. We can support the Good Grub Community by donating food which then gets dropped off to hundreds of households each week. We can continue to contribute to this worthy cause and Mr Purcell provides details in this Trinity News edition as to how we can help.
I am sincerely grateful to our students whose agility is impressive and resilience is clear, our staff whose professionalism is very visible in the face of remarkable change and to our families for their ongoing support. Thanks also to the Parents’ Association for their support and to the OTGA who are also finding ways to keep our community connected. At the risk of sounding like everyone else, we are all in this together.
Adrian Farrer
Principal
From the ELC
It has been an exciting start to Term 2 as we engage in a new way of learning in the ELC. There has been a wonderful sense of the community coming together and embracing all that is being offered through the Distance Learning program. Teams Morning and Afternoon Meetings have commenced, and all the educators are thrilled to be able to see the children. The children’s joy has also been evident as they excitedly share with their educators and friends things they have worked on during the day and even special items in their home. Although we are introducing new technologies into the Early Years whilst we are learning remotely, we aim to focus on creating experiences that are relevant to the children by using everyday items to develop and enhance skills. This week, the children have been able to explore their creativity and imagination using socks! We look forward to seeing this program evolve and to presenting the children with a variety of experiences that continue to bring us together during our time apart.
Marty O’Brien
Director of the ELC
JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS
Welcome to Term 2 Junior School Families
First of all, I would like to thank the families who took the time to complete the surveys at the end of last term. Feedback from parents, staff and our students, has shaped our planning for the Term 2 Distance Learning program.
We know that teacher/student contact is very important to you. There will be various touch points for teachers and students throughout the school day.
The boys can now click on their daily plan to join a meets meeting with their teacher and the rest of the class. It is in these meetings that teachers check student attendance (a state government requirement), review the planner for the day and have general conversations with the students, from both a pastoral and academic perspective. We have been pleased with how these morning video calls have been running, and look forward to that connection continuing throughout the coming weeks.
You’ll be hearing a lot about asynchronous, and synchronous learning.
Asynchronous learning is a term used to describe forms of education, instruction, and learning that do not occur in the same place or at the same time. The term is most commonly applied to various forms of digital and online learning in which students learn from instruction—such as pre-recorded video lessons or game-based learning tasks that students complete on their own—that is not being delivered in person or in real time.
Synchronous learning is a term used to describe forms of education, instruction, and learning that occur at the same time, but not in the same place. The term is most commonly applied to various forms of televisual, digital, and online learning in which students learn from teachers in real time, but not in person.
The role of our parents
Primary supervision of students is the role of our parent community. We absolutely recognise the challenges our working parents are facing at this time. Our staff will continue encouraging the boys to be responsible for their work and to remain engaged over the school day. There are limitations on what can be achieved remotely and it’s just as important that the boys receive a balance of down time versus screen time. We must also be mindful our staff are given an opportunity to achieve a similar balance.
We thank our parent community most sincerely for continuing to support us, and their sons, with these changes.
Our Parent Support Officer, Mr Chris McLean, is available to provide you with support in a variety of ways to give your sons the best opportunity to learn and achieve success during this time of distance learning. Keep an eye out for his weekly newsletter with resources and information to support parents, via Trinity Connect. You are also welcome to contact him at: jsparentsupport@trinity.vic.edu.au
Grant Nalder
Head of Junior School
SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS
First Week Back
Thank you to the boys, staff and parents for the way everyone has approached Distance Learning. Boys are being contacted each morning by Form teachers, Heads of Year or Heads of House and they then log onto each class. The boys are very capable at using Microsoft Teams and other software. We have had very few problems reported, so far; lessons have been taught, tasks and assignments handed in and assessment pieces have also been delivered online. We still do not know how long this will last but there have been many positives. Positive interactions between parents and sons, additional family time, a bit of shopping and working, an appreciation of teachers and no Friday detentions yet!
A survey will be sent to the boys at the end of the week to see how they are coping with Distance Learning, what is working well, and how is their wellbeing, sleep and exercise.
ANZAC Service
The Service will be held this Friday, commencing at 8.40am via livestream. The Anzac Service livestream will be available to all boys, staff and families in the Senior and Junior Schools. It will be a shorter service than usual due to not having all the boys physically present. Parents and boys will be invited to watch the livestream in a message that will be sent out the day before.
Welcome to New staff
We welcome two replacement staff to Trinity. Ms Sam Calvert (German teacher) is replacing Mr Smid while he is on long service leave. And Ms Dasha Vorobieva (French teacher) replaces Ms Dubost-Hay, who is on maternity leave.
Rohan Brown
Deputy Principal, Head of the Senior School
New Clubs and Societies at Trinity
At the beginning of the year, we spoke to the Senior School and called for brave individuals to step forth and help share their passions with the school and work with us to weave them into the broader fabric of a new age of Clubs and Societies at the school. We were ecstatic to see so many students heed the call and join us on this exciting journey.
Following a process of review and deliberation, Rishov and I had the great pleasure of approving many such clubs and watching them start to develop. And the fervour was even more evident as many clubs continued meeting and functioning virtually, right from Day 1 of Trinity’s move to Distance Learning.
We now have the great pleasure of unveiling the full set of Clubs and Societies at Trinity to the wider community. In this time, when we are all being kept physically apart, we hope many will take up this opportunity to become a part of something bigger than themselves and to connect with other students. To learn more about a club or society, and to join it, interested students in Years 7 to 12 should contact the club or society’s student leaders or supporting staff member. The email address of (one of) the student leader(s), or the relevant staff member, is listed below.
New Clubs for 2020:
- 20th Century Warfare Research Society (641714@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leaders Jason Han and Aidan Nguyen; Supporting Staff Member Mr Jeremy Chan
- Aviation Club (628041@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Sam Hilton; Supporting Staff Members Mr Ben Ryder and Mr Andrew Palmieri
- Book Club (629615@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Cale Martin; Supporting Staff Member Ms Erin Wamala
- Dungeons and Dragons Club (637371@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leaders Rufus Craig and Lukah Parfuss; Supporting Staff Member Mr Scott Lucas
- E-Sports Club (637426@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Wesley Li; Supporting Staff Member Mr Raymond Wang
- Film Club (117113@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Daniel Triantopoulos; Supporting Staff Members Ms Kate Fewster and Dr Samuel Koehne
- Gaming Club (641963@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Vincent Cinanni; Supporting Staff Member Mr Neil Van Herk
- Good Blokes Economic Forum (613706@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leaders Michael Forwood and Cameron Grace; Supporting Staff Member Ms Kate Fewster
- Physics Mentoring Society (645663@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leaders James Liu and Larry Pang; Supporting Staff Member Mr Ben Ryder
- Pokémon Club (620041@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Alessandro Spinaze; Supporting Staff Member Mr Kevin Christofelsz
- Politics Society (614176@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Edward Spink; Supporting Staff Member Mr Christopher Weinberg
- Reconciliation Club (118188@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Oscar Howard; Supporting Staff Member Mr Tyrone Bean
- Society for the Development of a Different Dimension (626845@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Sam Shaw; Supporting Staff Member Mr Thomas Sykes
- Supercoach Society (645088@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Dominic Payman; Supporting Staff Member Mr Nick Dinham
Existing Clubs from 2019:
- Chess Club (625736@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Andrew Liu; Supporting Staff Member Mr Michael Burke
- Scrabble Club (620297@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Student Leader Max Licheni; Supporting Staff Member Mr Chris Scholten
- STEM Sessions (rendenl@trinity.vic.edu.au) – Outgoing Student Leader Andrew Lim (tenure ends 21st April); Incoming Student Leaders Enda Han and Cale Martin (tenure commences 21st April); Supporting Staff Member Ms Liana Renden
Academic Ambassadors at Trinity
We are delighted to introduce the Academic Ambassadorships, exciting new leadership opportunities for enthusiastic, innovative and open-minded young men who can help create new experiences for their peers. From here on out, every year, two Ambassadors will be appointed for each year level from Years 8-11, who will help enrich the cultural and intellectual life at Trinity. Any or all of the Ambassadors may also be called upon to assist in implementing in a few major initiatives, beyond their portfolios, throughout the year.
- The Year 8 Ambassadors for 2020 will be Dante Calcagno and Edward Peng.
- The Year 9 Ambassadors for 2020 will be Ronglin Hou and David Wang.
- The Year 10 Ambassadors for 2020 will be David Dodson and Cale Martin.
- The Year 11 Ambassadors will be Cinque Howells, Hadyn Tang and Will Toner.
These Ambassadors of 2020 will be the pioneers in these initiatives, and those who apply and take up the baton in subsequent years will build on and expand these opportunities for community learning. We look forward to working with the Ambassadorial team to create some unique opportunities and experiences for this school over the course of the year.
Andrew Lim and Rishov Doloi
Captains of Academics
Harambee News
Good Grub Support
There is an urgent need for food and items for our Good Grub community as they are isolated from their regular support with COVID-19. We are hoping some families can drop off food groceries every Thursday morning between 9.00 am and 12.00pm at the Habitat Uniting Church – 4 Highbury Grove Kew during this term
- Donations – fresh fruit, vegetables and non-perishables
- Donations – send items for our Good Grub community to do at home.
You can go online and order these kinds of items for people to do at home – deliver to 4 Highbury Grove, Kew 3101
Colouring-in books, word find books, plain sketch books, coloured textas and pencils, grey
lead pencils and sketching pens, jigsaws, craft activities, DVD movies are some ideas.
Thanks for all your support to help those most vulnerable in our community.
Tom Purcell
Director of Outreach and Assistant Chaplain
Careers Newsletter
Please click here to find the latest edition of the Careers Newsletter.
Connection through Technology
In the staff room, someone has posted a newspaper clipping from 1918 giving notice that schools (and pool rooms and other places of amusement) must close to prevent the spread of Spanish Influenza. I am sure that most of us would have found the isolation we are currently experiencing much more extreme 102 years ago without the ability to use technology to stay connected. As our students log on to their classes, I have been struck by the significance of face-to-face contact; the class video call is a somewhat alien environment, but there is a certain comfort gained from the familiarity of seeing your teacher and classmates.
We are very aware the boys are going through similar experiences and emotions to each other in their own relative isolation at home, and connection through a video call can help to make sense of that a little. All of this renders a working computer indispensable! The Tech Centre staff are working around the clock to support students and teachers as they navigate the digital classroom.
I encourage students to please seek help if their computer is not working as it should, and to bear with the staff if there is a short delay in getting back to them. There is an IT support details page here on the COVID-19 information hub where you will see more about how to get support. Students need to have working laptops, microphones, speakers, styluses and touch screens more than ever!
Ben Ryder
Director of Innovative Learning
Chaplain’s Chat
Faith and Perspective
With a family of ten I often feel I need to leave the house to isolate. Five children doing online learning and trying to teach in one home is quite a challenge! Despite the inconvenience of working and schooling from home, I know I am blessed when I hear the struggle of our friends in Kenya and Uganda. There is violence in the streets, there is hunger at night and people fear being infected by this disease. Faith, while tested, remains strong.
Dr Hiremath runs a hospital in an Indian country slum of around 100 000 makeshift homes where there is about one toilet for every 1400 residents. His perspective is confronting: ‘Social distancing is a privilege. It means you live in a house large enough to practise it. Hand washing is a privilege too. It means you have access to running water. Lockdowns are a privilege. It means you can afford a home. Most of the ways to ward the corona off are accessible only to the affluent.’
I am humbled to work in a faith community that is grateful for what we have and generous of heart. I have had more messages last week from our parents and students asking how they can help than any other time. Parents and students will be buying groceries and puzzles for isolated residents at our Good Grub community, computers have been supplied to mothers and their children to help with online learning at the African Homework Club, Trinity continues to walk with and sponsor over 100 children in the slum of Masese. In my pigeonhole last Wednesday, I opened an envelope that read, ‘Dear Mr Purcell, can you please give this money for a child to have some food and go to school in Uganda. COVID-19 taught me I have enough.’
Faith in humanity and faith in God is the driving force of our planet. Faith sustains us, nourishes us and gives our lives perspective and meaning. Faith enables us to thrive as a human being and see the world in another way. As author C.S. Lewis wrote, ‘I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.’
Tom Purcell
Director of Outreach and Assistant Chaplain
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Welcome to Term 2! I trust that you have all been keeping well and have had a safe and restful holiday break.
During the holiday break, we rolled out an initiative to support the businesses of our parent and OTG communities. With the current situation around COVID-19 and the closures of so many local services, these have been uncertain and difficult times for many families and the businesses they either operate or manage. As part of our commitment to keep the Trinity community connected, we wish to showcase the local businesses owned or managed by our families. To list your business or service, please click here to fill the submission form.
With small businesses under significant stress, you can help fellow Trinity families by choosing their businesses to support. We have over 100 listings to date and are regularly updating the Community Support Hub on MyTGS; please ensure you check regularly as we build our business network.
The Community Support Hub is located here.
If you have any questions or if there is anything further we can do to help you, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Telephone 9851 9498 or email hinesk@trinity.vic.edu.au
Take care and stay safe.
Kathy Hines
Director of Development and Community Relations
From the Parents’ Association
If you are looking for things to do while we’re all bunkered down, here are some fun (and delicious!) recipes from Trinity’s The Mitre Cookbook:
Why not have a go at making one of these (or another recipe from The Mitre Cookbook) and send us a photo of your children cooking or enjoying the fruits of their labour! Email your photos to pa@trinity.vic.edu.au by Monday 4 May and the most creative photo will win a restaurant voucher (to use at a restaurant owned by a Trinity parent), a copy of the cookbook and a Trinity apron – in time for Mother’s Day!
The Mitre Cookbook is available via www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=427607& for $40 (including postage within Australia).
The Mitre Cookbook was created by students, parents, staff and OTGs, who gave their time and expertise – it is truly a community effort. All proceeds from the cookbook go to the Trinity Parents’ Association.
Heidi Pfeffer
President of the Parents’ Association
Important Dates
Friday 24 April
School Assembly at 8:15am followed by a short ANZAC Service ( both will be live streamed)
Monday 4 May 2:45pm
Early Finish – Senior School – no Music or Co-curricular Activities