Edition 2, Term 4 2021 -

MENU: From the Principal | From the ELC | From the Junior School | From the Senior School | Music News | Debating | Science | Chaplain | Community Engagement

From the Principal

We need to be wary of the broadly negative view that many have of the state of education in Victoria at the moment. While there is obviously cause for concern regarding the experience of young people, and adults, over the last two years of difference in the way that school has been delivered, it serves little purpose to panic about the progress of our students. There is work to be done, for sure, and it is not in question that various elements of the loss of our more comfortable model of delivery will be impactful, but at a macro level it is not dire. More than anything, an unduly gloomy perspective will not serve to assist the Trinity community as we position our children to return to school.

The Preps started here on Monday in force and that was terrific. Having everyone else resuming will also be most welcome. Without doubt, though, there has been diminished output for the majority of students since the lockdown era commenced… but learning has not stopped. Nor has connection, though rendered differently perhaps, between students and staff. There will need to be some further adjustment to our methodology as an undoubtedly somewhat messy ‘staggered return’ looms. We are, of course, grateful to be able to engage with the challenge of landing our students well after such a time away. That landing will involve assessment of the pace and depth of learning, and the chance to plan with further precision the next steps for our students’ needs.

Adults are influenced by what they see and hear around them. Children are more susceptible again. As we resume on-site learning, amidst timelines, restrictions and protocols that could easily distract, confuse and frustrate, I hope that we can all lend our young people a positive view that will catastrophise less than the media might and provide confidence regarding what’s next at school for them.

Adrian Farrer
Principal

From the ELC

‘Stories serve as powerful tools for children as they work to understand and interact with the world around them. Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world.’ – Robert McKee

Over the past two weeks, the ELC has been focusing on the PYP attributes of being ‘Open minded’ and “Inquirers” as we explore the language of storytelling. We have been working together online, sharing traditional fairy tales with the students and through many activities, reflecting together on the characters, their emotions and how their voices might sound. It has been an opportunity for the children to learn about how voice intonation helps to convey a story.

Each week, the children have been coming together online to roleplay the story as a group. Our essential worker children onsite have even created puppets to retell one of the fairy tales, Jack and the Beanstalk.

Storytelling encourages both receptive language learning (listening and understanding) and expressive language learning (gesture and talk). Sharing the art of storytelling together through our digital platform allows for a sense of togetherness and connection between the students.

Testing the porridge in Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Sharing the bears’ voices in Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Jack and the Beanstalk puppets created by the students at the ELC

Naomi Wright
Director of the Early Learning Centre

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From the Junior School

It was wonderful to speak to many of the boys in their Microsoft Teams meetings after our three-week break. Hearing about the many walks, bike rides and picnics was lovely. It would be good practice to continue connecting with the people in our lives in this way and to also continue these activities when Melbourne opens up again!

It has been another busy learning period for all at Trinity over the past few weeks. All staff and boys have learnt how to communicate more efficiently on Microsoft Teams, making it easier for all of us to join meetings. When we reflect on how far we have come since March 2020, our achievements become more significant. To the boys, all parents and staff, thank you and well done!

The true spirit of an IB PYP school is to live your life through the Learner Profile attributes. We continue to do this in the most positive of ways. Keeping ‘Open-minded’ in all that we do has continually been challenged but we have consistently risen to the occasion. We’ve been ‘Risk-takers’, ‘Inquirers’ and ‘Open-minded’ as we have prepared for the daily challenges that were presented. We continue to be ‘Caring’ to one another, ‘Communicating’ through different means and making sure that we all stay connected as best we can.

Fun Fridays continue to be a highlight for the boys as they engage in a variety of fun activities. Students have participated in karate, cooking, trivia quizzes, fitness sessions, paper plane flying and dancing classes. Last week, the boys participated in some timely wellbeing sessions that were enjoyed across the Trinity community.

I look forward to seeing you all very soon.

Jon Knight
PYP Coordinator

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From the Senior School

VCE Written Examinations

We wish all students completing a Unit 3/4 subject every success in their upcoming written examinations, which begin with English on 27 October.

Back to School timeline

We look forward to the early return of our Year 7, 10 and 11 students this Friday. I ask that students do their best with regards to managing their hair length/style and to check that their summer uniform is in order.

Uniform requirements for Science classes 2022

Please note the individual equipment required for Science classes:

Years 7 – 10 Science, Units 1&2 Biology, Units 3&4 Biology, Units 1&2 Chemistry, Units 3&4 Chemistry

Safety glasses and a Lab coat are compulsory items for Science classes. Please retain or replace these items. The coat can be purchased from Bob Stewart, and the glasses are available there and at other outlets.

Congratulations

At the Senior School Assembly last week, the following students were recognised:

Triple Colours

Laurence Armstrong

David Chong

David Fang

Jeremy Fox

Cinque Howells

Kai Wong

Athletics

Captain: Tom Lefroy

Vice-Captain: Murray Lovass

Melbourne University Maths Competition Awards

Ms Liana Renden (Acting Head of Mathematics) with Melbourne University Maths Competition Award recipients Laurence, Cinque, Hadyn, Larry and James.

Partnering with Parents: Andrew Fuller

The upcoming ‘Partnering with Parents’ session with Clinical Psychologist and Family Therapist Andrew Fuller is applicable to every family and will empower parents to guide their children (and themselves) towards the transition back to onsite learning and success. Andrew Fuller is an Honorary Fellow at the University of Melbourne and has been a scientific consultant for the ABC and a regular presenter on Radio National.

Topics covered on the night will include how to re-engage and re-motivate your child in learning, the learning after-effects of 2020/2021, the key skills that parents can develop in their children to help them ‘retrain’ for onsite learning and overcoming anxiety.

The webinar will be held on Tuesday the 26 October from 7.00pm – 8.30pm. Please click here to access the webinar.

Susan Hill
Deputy Principal, Head of Senior School

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Music News

Clarinet Recital

Congratulations to the following students who performed in our online Clarinet Recital that took place in the final week of Term 3, 2021:

Isaac Chen, Lucas Coburn, Jackson Comrie, Tristan Davison, Abhinav Devarajan, Lucas Doufas, David Fang, Tom Gillon, Luca Hartnett, Jonathan Moutsios, Aidan Nguyen, Elliott Nikitins, Dereck Qian, Nicholas Rooney, Joseph Timm, Jonathon Tischler, Jacob Wang, Aden Wilmshurst, Enzo Ye, Bob Yu, Oscar Zhong, Steven Zhuang

We applaud their ongoing hard work, practice and dedication. 

Sincere thanks to all performers, their teachers and friends and family members watching from home.

Stringers Ensemble Fun with Therese McCoppin

Online learning can play an important role in our music students’ lives by providing new outlets for creativity and personal expression, as shown below with students of Therese McCoppin’s Stringers Ensemble having a bit of fun in their rehearsals this week. 

Michelle Stanic
Director of Music

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Debating

The Trinity Debating students have once again excelled in the 2021 Senior School Debating Competition. Congratulations to OTG Andrew Lim and his team Max Yakubowski, Cinque Howells, Samarth Goel, Nick Fallaw, Andrew Hain and Christopher Cohen on making the octo-finals. Also, well done to OTG Finn Horan and his team Ewan Brown, Angus Foley, Edward Peng, Daniel Thenamkodath, Antuan Arnott-Tan, Andrew Zhang and Eshaan Sikand for making it to the playoff finals.

The Junior School Program (JSP) for debating was also a great success, with just over 50 Year 7 and 8 students taking part. While the online platform presented some challenges, students were not deterred and managed to persevere and win many of their draws. Congratulations to all the JSP debating students for an outstanding season.

Thank you to the coaches Aden Wilmshurst, David Dodson, Nick Fallaw, Suhan Piratheepan, Henry Davis, Angus Foley, Ewan Brown, Tom Ross, Darcy Constantine, James Fox, Michael Fan, Rahul Doloi, Charlie Long, Kevin Nimalraj and Edward Peng for volunteering their time to support and mentor the JSP students. Their knowledge and expertise in leading and preparing the students was invaluable to their learning experience.

Finally, I would like to announce that Max Yakubowski and Henry Davis have each been awarded the much renowned Swannies Award. ‘Swannies’ are awarded to the speaker in each region and grade who has the highest average speaker score after completing at least three debates during the year. Congratulations to Max and Henry on this outstanding achievement.

Antonella Papaleo
Head of Debating

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Science

Science Olympiads

The Science Olympiads is a competition that takes place across Australia in which students demonstrate their academic prowess in a two-hour examination. The results from our highest achievers are below.

James Liu High Distinctions (Top 10%) (Physics and Chemistry)

Larry Pang High Distinctions (Top 10%) (Physics and Chemistry)

Enda Han High Distinctions (Top 10%) (Chemistry and Physics)

Daniel Marcou High Distinctions (Top 10%) (Junior)

Will Johnson High Distinctions (Top 10%) (Junior)

Rahul Doloi High Distinctions (Top 10%) (Junior)

Eason Yang High Distinctions (Top 10%) (Junior– Top 50 in Year 8)

Jay Zhao High Distinctions (Top 10%) (Junior– Top 50 in Year 8)

Jerry Hao High Distinctions (Top 10%) (Junior– Top 50 in Year 7)

Chris Qui Distinctions (Top 30%) (Junior– Top 50 in Year 7)

Science Talent Search

The Science Talent Search is a competition in which students make various models, inventions and computer simulations, showcasing not only their scientific understanding but their creative thinking in the application of various principles. The following TGS students were named as bursary winners in the competition.

Major Bursary Winners

Lucas Twigg and Matthew Finocchiaro (Year 7) – Model Smoke Detector
Henry Smith (Year 11) – SandReactor

Minor Bursary Winners

Jack Lauder and Hayden Randle – Lego Robot
Adtharsh Nishakar and James Sonneman – Bubblegum Dispenser
Connor Stevens and Amrish Gill – Maglev Trains
Timothy Ma and Jerry Hao – Inside the Hyperloop

Kevin Christofelsz
Deputy Head of Science

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From the Chaplain

Truth

John 14:5 – 14

In the John Rylands University Library, Manchester is the oldest known piece of the New Testament. It is known as Papyrus/Rylands/Greek 457, it is 8.9cm x 6cm and is dated 117AD (or CE).

What is most interesting about this piece, and in my opinion significant, is that it is the discussion between Jesus and Pilate in which Pilate asks, ‘What is truth?’.

Ironically standing in front of Pilate when he asks this question is one of the greatest champions of truth, and also justice, care and love, that the world has known.

So, what is ‘truth’? What is the way?

Suppose you are on holiday and in a strange city and you find yourself lost. You ask directions and a kind person says, ‘Take the first left then go down past the McDonalds outlet take the second on the right and about a kilometre further on take a right then immediate left you will find it there!’ You’re lost again!

On the other hand, the person may say ‘I will take you there’. The person participates in the journey with you.

Truth is a little like this; it is more like a journey than an instruction.

Jesus is talking about moral truth. The Greeks from this same period (1st Century AD or CE) had a view of truth which is much the same as we have, that is truth as opposed to falsehood, reality as opposed to mere appearance.

This is not what Jesus is talking about here when he says, ‘You will know the truth and the truth will set you free’. Here, Jesus’ idea of truth is influenced by his Jewish background. Truth in the Jewish scriptures refers to ideas like faithfulness, reliability, trustworthiness and sureness. These are more than academic; they are more philosophical. They are characteristics which a person embodies.

So, the consequence for someone espousing truth in this sense is that they will act in this way, with faithfulness, reliability, trustworthiness and sureness.

Truth is a quality of action not simply an abstract or empirical concept.

As a school, this is where we make a different stand.

We do not explore truth as just an academic exercise on its own, we go further.

We ask the moral question, ‘What does this mean for the world?’.

We don’t just ask, ‘Can we make money?’, we ask, ‘Should we feed the poor first?’.

We don’t just ask, ‘Can we make cheaper technology?’, we ask, ‘What effect it will have on the third world?’.

We are committed to this because truth for us as a school comes with Judeo/Christian values attached.

When Pilate asked Jesus ‘What is truth?’, he had no idea what Jesus had started in the world. The education of your children here makes you, and them, part of that revolution.

‘You will seek the truth and the truth will set you free.’

Chris Leadbeatter
Acting Senior Chaplain

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Community Engagement

It was lovely to see a few familiar faces at the Senior and Junior School Class Reps meetings held last week and today, which were the final meetings for the year. Our thanks go to the SS and JS Class Rep Coordinators, Lisa Williams and Melissa Gallace, who have done a wonderful job this year during very difficult circumstances. As was mentioned in the meetings, there are a few COVID-safe events happening offsite from mid-November onwards. Keep your eye out for invitations for these events coming soon.

As you prepare for your own Christmas celebrations, you might like to think about how you can support the Trinity community whilst treating your own family and friends. The MyTGS Business Directory, which lists businesses with a TGS connection, offers a wonderful array of goods and services to choose from. You can access the Directory HERE.

Don’t forget to visit the Second Hand Uniform Shop and use the Click and Collect service to nab a bargain for your growing boys.

Finally, make sure you save the date for the Oaks Day Luncheon which will be held on Friday 26 November.

Trinity Second Hand Uniform Shop – Click and Collect service

The Trinity Second Hand Uniform Shop, located at 62 Charles Street, is currently offering a Click and Collect service to the school community.

This service will be open:

Friday 15 October            9.00am-5.00pm
Monday 18 October        9.00am-1.00pm
Tuesday 19 October        1.30pm-5.00pm
Thursday 21 October      1.30pm-5.00pm
Friday 22 October      8.00am-1.30pm
Tuesday 26 October 1.00pm – 6.30pm
Wednesday 27 October 1.00pm – 6.30pm
Thursday 28 October 9.00am – 1.30pm

You can place your order HERE and book a time to collect your goods.

Uniform items will be delivered to your car in the Trinity Maintenance Carpark (enter via Cotham Road) after contactless payment is received. Please remain in your car on arrival.

We are currently offering:

‘2 for 1’ deal on all uniform items (excl blazers/spray jackets)
50% off all Spray Jackets

All uniform items are subject to availability. Please note we currently have no Size 16 SS summer shirts in stock.

Please choose your sizes carefully as items are currently unable to be exchanged. We are also unable to accept donations of items at this time. Once the Uniform Shop can return to usual operation, we will be able to accept both exchanges and donations once again.

The Click and Collect service is just one small way in which we can support our parent community under the current restrictions. We look forward to assisting you!

Deliveroo Vouchers – Final Offer

Further to the support offered by Deliveroo and the Parents’ Association, we have some additional $15 Deliveroo vouchers available through TryBooking. These are limited in number and will expire 30 October 2021. They can be accessed HERE.

We have been so pleased to hear that these vouchers have brought a sense of joy and community to so many during these periods.

Community Event Dates

Tuesday 26 October

Parents’ Association Meeting, 7.00pm

Details to be advised

Save the Dates!

Friday 26 November

Oaks Day/Spring Lunch – please note change of date

Leonda on the Yarra

More details to come

Monday 6 December

Year 12 Valedictory Evening – please note change of date