Edition 2, Term 3 2020
MENU: From the Principal | 2020 Non-Government School Census | Junior School | Senior School | Music News | Chaplain’s Chat | Community Relations
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
A view into the past tells us that, in a way, we are fortunate. While there is little to recommend Victoria’s current situation, there is a blessing in that we have the ability to continue our academic program via digital means. It was not always so.
On the weekend I was re-reading the part of Dr Jane Carolan’s 1903 to 2003 history of our school, For the Green and The Gold and The Mitre, which referred to the ‘Spanish Flu’s’ impact on our school in 1919. The first three weeks of school that year were cancelled due to the disease and there was no way, of course, to maintain daily contact and academic rigour back then. The pandemic was devastating worldwide and the challenges for our school community were very real at the time. In Term 1 fourteen boarders had influenza and in Term 2 there were another twenty, along with six staff members. There were not many more than 200 students enrolled at TGS at the time. Further to that, Council member, George Arnold, after whom Arnold House and Hall are named, died from the disease while volunteering as a nurse in the equivalent of a COVID ward. They would have been very confronting days indeed, especially in the wake of the Great War and its human and financial devastation.
Now that we are in this heavy form of lockdown, the school is maintaining only a ‘skeleton’ staff on site. Teachers and support staff who can work from home are doing so, and unfortunately there are some staff members who are taking leave or unable to be usefully employed over the coming weeks due to not having students and staff on site. The school’s response has to be financially responsible, of course, and the manner with which those affected staff have responded to their disappointing situation has been quite remarkable. We are thankful for the attitude adopted and we look forward to having them all back as soon as possible. Everyone is affected in one way or another as we blend our homes with our workplaces and tackle this imperfect way of teaching and learning. We will not get everything right, but the school’s staff is doing a great job and we will continue to seek innovation and improvement in the weeks to come.
We are grateful to all Trinity stakeholders for their patience, understanding and ongoing trust in the school. The last chapter of Jane Carolan’s school history is called ‘The Trinity Way’. I think I have come to understand what that means in this quite surreal first year for me at TGS. I suspect we will be stress tested further this year, though I pray not to the extent that our forebears were in 1919, yet I am comforted that our community will stay strong. This year will also be featured in a history book one day, and I know that Trinity’s story will be one remarkable for its sense of resilience and community.
Adrian Farrer
Principal
2020 NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOL CENSUS
The Australian Government Department of Education and Training (the department) has requested that the school provides information to the department about the make-up of the staff and student body during an annual school census.
The school must provide the department with information about the number of staff and students (no names are provided), including the numbers of:
- Teaching and non-teaching staff
- Primary and secondary students
- Full-time and part-time students
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students
- Students with disability
- Students receiving distance education
- Boarding students
- Overseas students
What you need to do:
You are not required to do anything. The school is responsible for providing the requested details to the department.
For more information regarding this data collection, please read the privacy notice from the Department of Education, Skills and Employment.
Tristan Davidson
Finance Manager
JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS
We continue to be tightly fastened on this rollercoaster ride throughout 2020. The negatives are obvious; however, the positives can be challenging to see throughout these times. At Trinity we continue to: connect, care and communicate due to the dedication from all staff. From a PYP perspective, all staff continue to enable boys to have ‘Agency’ (voice, choice and ownership) during their inquiries, with learning being centered on the transdisciplinary model and a variety of learning approaches. During their learning engagements, boys have continued to inquire, question, wonder and think about themselves, others and the world around them. Another positive is witnessing how resilient our boys are and how Internationally Minded they are becoming every day. The PYP’s aim is to hope all students develop, ‘the agility and imagination to respond to new and unexpected challenges and opportunities and to take actions for a better and more peaceful world.’ Our boys are executing the PYP Learner Profile attributes to deal with the challenges of today, with distinction!
Jon Knight
Primary Years Program (PYP) Coordinator
SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS
Distance Learning
We are already 1 ½ weeks into Distance Learning 3.0. The senior boys, in Years 11 and 12, have now joined the rest of the school in learning from home. By all accounts it is going well, but naturally we would prefer the boys at school. We hope that this lockdown will be successful in allowing workplaces, schools, businesses to return to some form of normality in late September, early October.
Six important tips from me:
- Wake up at normal time, even put on a Trinity top/jumper to get in the mood for school.
- Greet your teacher, say hi at the start of the lesson. Turn your camera on as often as you can.
- Keep your desk/books neat, tidy and organised for each day.
- Try to contact a mate in your class who you don’t always sit with to check how they are.
- Contact Form Teachers, HOYs, counsellors or even me if you have any issues regarding school work, feeling down, lonely or worried.
- To use a well-known saying, STRESS is good, DISTRESS is bad…
Year 12 VTAC Information Night
The Year 12 VTAC Information Night was held online last Tuesday night. Thank you to Mr Amiconi and Mrs Ward for presenting the information about the rest of the year for the Year 12 boys and how they go about making applications for tertiary courses and SEAS Applications. The session has been recorded and can be found by clicking here.
Welcome
We welcome Mr Andrew Settle back to school to teach Year 7, 8 and 9 Science. Mr Settle was a senior teacher at Trinity for many years before teaching overseas. He will mainly replace Ms Nicole Date, who has resigned. We thank Ms Date for 14 years of great Science teaching and hockey coaching. She was also a wonderful Year 7 Form Teacher.
Dobsons
Please note that Dobsons have closed for the next 5-6 weeks. Parents who require uniforms are still able to order online.
Rohan Brown
Deputy Principal, Head of Senior School
Senior Online Debating Rounds 3 and 4
Our debaters are in full swing with online debating now and the challenge has been faced head on. Arguing ‘That censorship can never be justified’ at A Grade level, ‘That we should implement a universal basic income’ at B Grade level, ‘That we should remove statistics from social media posts (e.g. number of likes or views)’ at C Grade level, and ‘That we should ban private gun ownership’ at D Grade level, allowed the boys to consider their stance on the various issues being raised. A late withdrawal from another school at B Grade level saw our very own boys step in and debate against their team members. They embraced this opportunity to debate, simply for the experience! With one team at C Grade level still undefeated, our shot at making finals is looking very positive. Best Speakers were William Browning, James Liu and Aden Wilmshurst. Once again, a job well done by our boys in the green and gold.
2020 Darebin Mayor’s Writing Award for Young People
Congratulations to Luke Ehlert (Year 8) whose story ‘The arrival that never came’ was Highly Commended and won a writing prize in the 2020 Darebin Mayor’s Writing Awards for Young People.
The Darebin Mayor’s Writing Awards is an annual competition for writers who live, work or study in Darebin. This award acknowledges the literary skills of local people and recognises Darebin’s creative community.
Rima Khallouf
Head of School Debating
MUSIC NEWS
Trinity Scholars’ Concert
The inaugural online Trinity Scholars’ Concert took place on Sunday 26 July, featuring the following 13 musicians:
- Mike Ge – French Horn
- Noah Hodge – ‘Cello
- Sean Kim – ‘Cello
- Jacob Lai – Violin
- Eason Yang – Oboe
- Alexander Chieng – Violin
- Jeff Dai – French Horn
- Edward Peng – Oboe
- Angus Wong – Violin
- George Koutrouzas – Violin
- Max Zhang – Oboe
- Zachary Dubow – Flute
- Sejune Park – Viola
Eloquent and witty introductions were delivered by each musician, and the respective performances were clear evidence of regular home practice, musical maturity and a pure love of music. I commend the students, and thank their parents, teachers and accompanists for their ongoing support over many years of study.
Despite all that has occurred this year, Term 3 commenced with the normal activity and energy of classroom music, instrumental/voice lessons, ensemble rehearsals and recitals. Most of these activities took place online, with the Year 11 and 12 cohort engaged in face-to-face music learning, until Wednesday 5 August initiated a return to online teaching for all.
The VCE Music Performance class was fortunate in having time to complete a live mid-year performance and to experience tuition with their instrumental/voice teachers. The annual performance program has transfigured into many opportunities for individual practice and improvement, small ensemble skill development, intense and focused listening time, and self-reflection.
We have all had confronting yet valuable lessons in patience, acceptance, creative problem solving, and discovering a positive in every situation; the Trinity Music Men have led the way – may this continue!
Michelle Stanic
Director of Music
Chaplain’s Chat
In recent online Junior School Chapel services, as part of a series on New Testament Heroes, we have learned a lot about the Tabernacle. We learned about how it was built to house the very presence of God, and that this was the forerunner of Solomon’s Temple. We learned that at Jesus’ crucifixion, the Temple veil, that separated the people from the Holy of Holies, was torn in two and that this ‘one, true, pure and sufficient sacrifice’ forever removed what separated God from His people. The bible then assures us that God has sent the Holy Spirit to ‘dwell within’ each of us.
This is an especially important time to reflect upon and cherish this truth. With all churches now closed, even for private prayer, it is important that we nourish and maintain our inner spiritual lives. They must be tended to lovingly like the most prized garden bed. A daily time and space in a ‘small corner’ of our own at home is the way many are now finding this nourishment. A candle, an icon, a palm cross – it doesn’t take much to signify your own prayerful space.
So does this mean churches are unnecessary? Absolutely not. The Church is God’s gift to His people and it is right and fitting that they be built and furnished with great care and beauty. But the Church is not only the sum of its buildings. It is all of us who are brothers and sisters in Christ and in whom Christ lives.
As we move through these challenging times together, let us remember that God will not be contained merely within the building of the Church. He dwells within all of us and longs for us to draw close and lean on him.
28 ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ Matthew 11:28-30
With every blessing and daily prayers from the Chaplaincy team,
Cecilia Fairlie
Junior School Chaplain
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Dear Trinity Parents
I hope that you are keeping well… and adapting once again to another ‘new normal’.
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the Community Relations team are working from home over the next few weeks. Our office hours will operate slightly differently; however, rest assured we will monitor emails regularly and continue to support and keep you connected during this time.
If there is anything we can assist you with, please do not hesitate to contact either myself or Bonnie Brown on 9851 9558 or brownb@trinity.vic.edu.au
Until next time, take care and stay well.
Kindest regards
Kathy Hines
Director of Development and Community Relations
Trinity Woollen Blanket
Ideal gift for Christmas, for OTGs and current families.
The Father’s Day order has SOLD OUT! The remainder of the order will be fulfilled by the end of October.
This beautiful Trinity-themed blanket is ideal as a throw rug or to keep in the car to have as a picnic rug. It could be a wonderful way to show our school colours while sitting on the benches or at the sidelines whilst watching Trinity sport (when we can). The joy of the weather in Melbourne is that it won’t only be useful in winter!
Please click here for further information and to order.
Important Dates
Tuesday 11 August
OTGA Committee Meeting, 7.00pm, online
Monday 17 August
Year 12 (2021) Leadership Applications open
Tuesday 18 August
Parents’ Association Meeting, 7.00pm, online
Year 7 (2021) Information Session, online, livestreamed on Teams
Friday 21 August
Year 12 (2021) Leadership Applications close
Form Assembly 8.15am