Edition 3, Term 4 2019
MENU: Editorial | Junior School | Senior School | Music News | Chaplain’s Chat | Harambee News | Community Relations
EDITORIAL
It’s hard to believe that the finish line of the 2019 academic year is starting to appear on the horizon. The boys are in the thick of completing final assessments in their subjects, preparing for examinations and, parallel to all this, participating in the greater life of the School. Indeed, the final weeks are always a busy and sometimes stressful time. For teachers this is also true as we prepare for the end of semester reporting on how your son approached and grew in his various subjects.
In the Senior School, Phase One of Continuous Online Reporting (COR) was launched in 2018, and has been incredibly well received. Sometimes forgotten is the fact that the system took years to build, trial and launch. Phase Two of COR including Targeted Comments is now in its final stages of the initial trial with a Year 8 class. As a member of the trial group, I can say first-hand that it has been an incredibly important learning experience. We continue to reflect on how best to provide parents, boys and school leaders with feedback on student attainment, growth and a real-time experience of our young learners’ educational journey.
A survey was sent to parents of the trial group to get feedback on their experience. I thought I would share some of the initial findings:
- 67% of those surveyed found COR ‘Very Useful’, while a further 17% found COR ‘Useful’ (an average rating of 3.5 out of 4);
- 83% of parents found the Targeted Comments ‘Useful’ or ‘Very Useful’ (an average rating of 3.2 out of 4);
- 67% of parents accessed Comportal once a fortnight, while the remaining 23% accessed Comportal once or multiple times a week;
- 100% of parents believed that COR with Targeted Comments had change the conversation with their sons regarding academic progress;
- 92% of parents believed they would prefer COR with Targeted Comments rather than the traditional end-of-semester subject comment; and
- 84% of parents believed that the boys should be given access in conjunction with parents.
Some notable comments include:
- ‘We appreciate the effort from the teachers to provide the online reporting. The continuous feedback allows us to see how our son is going in “real” time instead of waiting until mid-year to get a snapshot.’
- ‘I find the feedback from continuous online reporting timely as I can reinforce the messages or discuss the changes, compare to the end of the year report which provides a view of what has been achieved or not.’
- ’I would love the entries to be dated, so I know what’s most recent and how my son’s progress is trending. I’m really getting a lot out of this new system. Thank you.’
- ’Please continue with Continuous Online Reporting.’
In 2020, we will continue to refine COR, and expand the trial group in order to attain better data from both parent and teacher experience. We will also commence planning for the introduction of COR into the Junior School. I look forward to sharing this progress next year.
Ben Hinves
Director of Teaching and Learning
JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS
We hope all families enjoyed a restful Melbourne Cup weekend. Here in the Junior School, we’re betting on a fantastic finish to the school year.
The Summer Sports Tour was a memorable event for the boys involved as we hosted boys from Scotch College in Sydney. A big thank you to the families who hosted a billet. Our Year 4s depart tomorrow for their camp to Warrnambool and we wish them a safe and enjoyable trip.
We also begin to look forward to what lies ahead for next year. Our 2020 incoming Preps have had the first of their Orientation Mornings and we look forward to hosting them again over the next three weeks. Our leadership elections for the 2020 Junior School Captains took place today with many of our Year 5 boys presenting speeches to their peers. We commend all boys for being risk-takers and sharing their passion to improve the Trinity experience for all Junior School boys. Our Year 5 students now eagerly await the announcement of the 16 captains at the Junior School Presentation Night, with the co-curricular captains being elected in early Term 1, 2020.
Emily MacLean
Deputy Head of Junior School
Fantastic Fencing
Congratulations to Year 1 student Jayden Li who, at the age of six, was awarded the bronze medal inU9 Foil at Fencing Victoria’s State Championships. This achievement makes him the youngest participant ever in the history of Fencing Victoria state competitions to be awarded a medal!
Gymnastics Medal
Congratulations to Griffin Marsland of Year 3 who achieved third place at the Junior Victorian Gymnastics Championships. Griffin has been participating in gymnastics for six years, and he says his favourite event is the pommel horse because it is really fun to work on. Well done, Griffin!
Holiday Programs
Code Camp will be back at Trinity this holiday from Tuesday 14 January to Thursday 16 January with Spark, Web Builders, Ignite and Little Heroes. You can view the flyer here. For more information and to register, please visit codecamp.com.au/trinitygrammar.
Monash University will be running a Digital Media Academy. A special discount for Trinity students has been arranged by a member of our school community. To receive AUD100 off, register using the code ‘TGS’. For more information about Digital Media Academy, please visit digitalmediaacademy.org. To register, please visit trybooking.com/BGCYS
SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS
Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award
Congratulations to Tom Gutteridge of Year 12, who has been awarded his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. He will be formally presented with his award at Melbourne Town Hall on Monday 9 December.
Design and Technology
The annual D&T and IT Exhibition opened on Monday in the Tudor Centre. It is a great exhibition, featuring not only Year 12 and Year 11 students’ work, but also the younger boys’ designs and models. Many boys have spent hundreds of hours refining and developing their designs. The pieces of furniture are outstanding, as are the F1 in Schools models.
The exhibition is open most of the week. Boys and parents are welcome to visit the exhibition.
Founders’ Day Service
On Thursday 14 November, the School will turn 117 years of age and this will be celebrated across three special services.
The School is vastly different in size and facilities from the first class of 32 boys. We now number just over 1500, but the ideals of a broad, inclusive academic education have not changed. This year also marks the Centenary of the AGSV Sporting Competition which began with the Athletic Sports in 1920.
The OTG guest of honour at the Senior School Service is Mr Brian James (OTG 1969) who will speak to the boys during the Founders’ Day Service at School.
Sport – First Three Rounds
Term 4 sport has been a little disrupted with the Melbourne Cup weekend, but Round 3 was held last week with the final round for Term 4 next week (16 Nov). It is great to see the boys out at Bulleen, on the Yarra, in the McIntyre Sports Centre, at PEGS, the Dandenong Volleyball Centre or in the Cornell Gym. For the Year 6 boys this is their first taste of Saturday inter-school competition matches and they have acquitted themselves well. The First XI Cricket team won both games and on Saturday, Henry Brown 70, Jack Stewart 63 not-out saw Trinity pass the Mentone total with just two wickets down. Tom Walker and Cameron Grace took three wickets each.
Basketball Firsts had an excellent come-from-behind to win by 10 points, also against Mentone, with Otto Mananov and Dihan Wiggett the best for Trinity.
Unfortunately, table tennis, tennis and volleyball all had losses.
Trinity’s First House Rowing Regatta
The inaugural Trinity House Rowing Regatta was a hugely successful and fun day down on the Birrarung River. With over 59 boys rowing in mixed-age crews, not to mention the additional 110 supporters cheering from the riverbanks, it was a wonderful community event for the School. Hindley House delivered a convincing win to secure the Guy Begley Cup, named after a former Trinity teacher, who was integral in the establishment of the Rowing Program. We are humbled to have raised $12000 through the parents’ race, named The Cowey Cup, where five crews of parents attempted to compete in the sport to which their sons have committed. The day closed with the announcement of Hugo Thatcher and Ethan Westerman as incoming Rowing Captains and the blessing of our fleet and rowers, including the naming of four new boats: Ray Weinberg, The Holy Trinity, R M Begg and Edward Taffs.
Jackson Harrison – Head of Rowing
Emma Clark – Rowing Coach
Careers Newsletter
Please click here to access the most recent Careers Newsletter.
Paddle to the City – Trinity Kayaking
The Trinity Kayaking Squad participated in the MLC-hosted Paddle to the City on Sunday. Pairing up with students from MLC and Strathcona, the boys paddled 23km from Fairfield Canoe Club to Richmond Rowing Club. This annual event is a great way to ensure social connections across schools, between new and more experienced paddlers, the junior and more senior boys, and to build our great kayaking community of paddlers, teachers, coaches and parents.
MUSIC NEWS
Music at the Trinity Fair
The following ensembles will perform at the Trinity Fair on Sunday 17 November 2019. Students should arrive 10 minutes prior to their scheduled performance time. They are required to wear neat casual clothing, bring a water bottle and wear a hat! Many thanks to all students involved!
| Time | Main Stage | Small and Exclusive Stage |
| 10.15 | Junior Jazz | Brass Ensemble |
| 10.25 | Trintones | The Rockets |
| 10.40 | Augmented 7ths | Clarion |
| 11.00 | Belling Jazz | Wind Trio |
| 11.20 | Percussion Ensemble (Mr James Lewis) | Saxophone Ensemble |
| 11.35 | Mitre Band | Tarrega Guitar |
| 11.55 | Symphonic Wind | Bream Guitar |
| 12.30 | Awesome Oboes | |
| 12.50 | Flute Ensemble | |
| 1.10 | Djembe & Body Percussion Ensemble (Mr Dave Davis) |
2019 Choral Service Choir Camp
To prepare for the Trinity Grammar School Carol Service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday 6 December, members of the Senior Choir, Middle School Choir, Senior Strings, Community Choir and selected brass, woodwind and percussion players are required to attend Choir Camp on Sunday 1 December in the South Room, Centre for the Arts, between 1.00pm and 4.00pm. Students are permitted to wear casual clothes to the camp and should bring a water bottle. Parents are advised that this is an important event in the lead-up to the Carol Service and as such, student attendance is an expectation for all boys.
2019 Carol Service
The Trinity Grammar School Carol Service will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday 6 December at 7.30pm. A final rehearsal will be held in the morning of Friday 6 December.
Senior students are required to make their own way to the Cathedral 15 minutes prior to rehearsal.
Junior School boys will travel to St Paul’s Cathedral by bus. They will leave Trinity at 9.00am.
The rehearsal schedule is as follows:
| Time | Ensemble | Repertoire |
| 8.30 – 9.00am | Senior Strings and Percussion | Hymn for Christmas Day |
| 9.00 – 9.30am | Senior Strings and Orchestra | |
| 9.45 – 11.00am | Senior Strings, Orchestra, Senior Choir, Middle School Choir, Junior Choir, Community Choir* | |
| 11.00 – 11.30am | Junior Choir | |
| 11.30 – 12.00pm | Brass Ensemble and Organ | Pre-Service Music/ Fanfare |
Please note that Community Choir* in the table above refers to only those who are able to attend.
At the conclusion of the final rehearsal, Year 9-11 students may make their own way back to school with a parental note Junior School, Year 7 and 8 students will travel back to school by bus.
Senior students are asked to wear full summer school uniform to the rehearsal and can bring along a book and a snack/drink. Junior School students should wear their full sports uniform (with spray jacket) as per normal uniform on Fridays.
In the evening, students are required to wear full winter school uniform and arrive at St Paul’s Cathedral by no later than 7.00pm so that they can be seated and prepared before the service begins.
It’s Beginning to Sound a Lot Like Christmas
All members of the wider Trinity Community are warmly invited to join the TGS Carols Choir for the 2019 Carol Service at St Paul’s Cathedral. We welcome singers of all ages and voice types to join the TGS Choirs for this magnificent annual event. The choral repertoire that has been selected for this year’s service is beautiful, inspiring and accessible.
Preliminary rehearsals will be held in the evening from 7.00pm – 9.00pm in the Music School. Attending at least three preliminary rehearsals would be adequate.
Preliminary Rehearsals
Thursday 14 November, Tuesday 19 November, Wednesday 20 November, Wednesday 27 November and Thursday 28 November
Final Rehearsal
Sunday 1 December, 1.00pm – 4.00pm, South Room (with all other choirs and the orchestra)
Choral repertoire includes:
- In the Bleak Mid-Winter arranged Mark Hayes
- Come O Come Emmanuel arranged Trevor Manor
- Ecce Novum by Ola Gjeilo
plus seven well-known carols with the congregation.
Carols Service
Date: Friday 6 December
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: St Paul’s Cathedral
For further information contact Kevin Kelley, Head of Choral Music.
CHAPLAIN’S CHAT
The waters are stirring.
One of my favourite passages in John’s Gospel is the healing of a sick man by Jesus in the waters of Bethzatha. When the waters were stirred, healing miracles took place, but the ill man had been sitting there for 38 years because every time the waters were troubled, others would walk over him to get to the waters first.
I sometimes wonder when I visit the most marginalised communities Trinity walks with how easy it is for our society to walk past those most in need, just like in Jesus’s time.
Last Wednesday night at our pizza outing with our local Good Grub community, I sat with an asylum seeker who has just escaped terrible domestic violence in China. Her 14 year-old son continues to bed wet and although she has work rights, she receives no Centrelink, and currently lives off the good will of a local priest. If you can help her with some employment, whether it be as a kitchen hand, cleaning or anything to help her get food on the table, please contact me.
On 20 November, we celebrate Universal Children’s Day. This is an important day of global action where we strive to create a world where every child is learning, safe from harm and able to fulfil their potential. In our immersions to Uganda, we visit slums where mothers have no energy left to live. There is little hope. Their children as young as five walk the streets of the city daily searching for reused charcoal from the bins to sell to get some food on the table. Perhaps on 20 November an early Christmas gift for your family is to enable some of these children to go to school through a child sponsorship of $100 a year. This would lift mothers out of poverty and bring about generational change – a $100 good deed that lasts forever. If you can sponsor a child, please do so via trybooking.com/447718
Trinity is a great school and a great community. Great schools and communities don’t just teach you, they empower you to change the lives of others. We are called to be disciples of Christ and go to people on the margins. We cannot let children we visit every year search the bins for another 38 years because the world has forgotten about them. The waters are stirring.
Tom Purcell
Director of Outreach and Assistant Chaplain
HARAMBEE NEWS
East Africa Immersion: Thursday 9 January – Monday 27 January
On Thursday 21 November we will hold an important meeting for all Year 12 students and parents coming on or still interested in the East Africa immersion next January. The meeting will be held in Arnold Hall from 7.00pm. If you have any questions beforehand, please do not hesitate to contact Tom Purcell.
Christmas Hamper Project
Trinity Grammar works closely with the Good Grub community in Kew to support people who are socially isolated or living with a mental illness, to live with dignity and engage in community. At Christmas time, many of this community do not have contact with family, nor the financial resources to celebrate Christmas. Trinity is hoping to provide 80 Christmas hampers to the most vulnerable in our community. Could your son or family please bring in any of the items below and drop them off at the front office, to his Head of Year, Form Teacher or to Mr Purcell’s office. Thanks for all your support.
Specific items that are needed are
- Ready-made microwave meals
- Pasta and rice meals
- Single serve tinned fruit
- Muesli/nut bars
- Dry biscuits
- Shortbread
- Pens
- Diaries
- Mugs
- Single-serve tinned meals (tuna/ham/chicken/salmon)
- 2 minute noodles
- Coffee (small jars)
- Small UHT milks
- Cereals/porridge sachets/Cornflakes/Weetbix (small packets)
- Meals in a tin
- Up and Go drinks
- Spaghetti in tins
- Toilet paper
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Oaks Day Lunch
The 2019 Oaks Day Lunch was held on Thursday 7 November at Fenix. This new venue provided the perfect backdrop to an absolutely fabulous day.
Our two ‘Blokes at Oaks’ contributed during the day by assisting with Raffle draw, and added a dash of debonair flair to what is traditionally a ‘Ladies Day’.
Rosemary De Young, Vicki Doufas and I had the difficult task of judging ‘Fashions On Our Field’ which was won by Sarah Collings, Jane Kupsch and Annette Dal Sasso.
Special acknowledgement and thanks go to our organising committee who did a fantastic job coordinating this amazing event: Louise Ross, Jodie Preiss, Louise Burnett, Michelle Eady, and our fabulous MC for the day, Susie O’Brien. A special mention to Felicity Quilty from the Community Relations team for her ongoing support with this event.
To all who attended this year’s Oaks Day Lunch, thank you for attending and we hope you had fun, and look forward to seeing you at our 2020 event.
Kathy Hines
Director of Community Relations and Development
Founders’ Day Fair Cake Stall
A Cake Pack will be sent home with your son this week. Please ask your son for the Cake Pack, and check his school bag if you have not received it.
These Cake Packs have been prepared to make the process as simple as possible. Each Pack contains a label, string, cardboard container and a flyer with sample recipes and packaging instructions. You are welcome to bake your own favourites, but please refrain from using fresh cream. You are also welcome to use your own packaging but please use the label provided for consistency.
Feel free to call into the Community Relations Office at Hudson House to collect extra Packs if you wish to bake additional items.
Baked items can be dropped off on Saturday 16 November between midday and 4.00pm, or on Fair Day, Sunday 17 November from 8.00am.
Trinity Fine Foods
The Fine Foods Stall is seeking volunteer assistance to set up the stall on Saturday 16 November in the afternoon (a great option for those who can’t attend the Fair) and to sell produce on Fair Day.
If you are available to volunteer for an hour or two, please click here to register. There is also space for you to sign up with a friend.
For any queries regarding Trinity Fine Foods, please contact Emma Drake with any queries on 0404 567 352 or emma_drake@yahoo.com.
All-day Ride Wristbands
Bookings are now open for you to purchase wristbands for rides at the Fair. This year, we have kept the cost of the rides the same as in 2018. We will have old favourites and some exciting new rides to choose from! Get your Unlimited Rides Wristbands at Earlybird prices to jump the queues and spin, climb and bounce all day. Purchase your wristbands now by clicking here.
Parents’ Association and Old Trinity Grammarians’ Association partner for Movember
The OTGA has an increasing focus on improving the health of men, young and old, within our Trinity Grammar community. Too many sons are dying before their fathers. Please take a moment to watch this short clip: https://youtu.be/o-vXUDOYx1s
Who and What is Movember?
Movember’s goal is to stop men dying too young.
Our fathers, partners, brothers and friends face a health crisis that isn’t being talked about – men are dying too young. Movember focuses on mental health, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and suicide prevention.
They run awareness campaigns year-round but the main annual campaign is Movember run in November. It’s global and recognised for its fun and disruptive approach.
What are the PA and OTGA doing?
The annual Movember campaign is a great opportunity for the PA and the OTGA to partner and raise awareness about Men’s Health.
During Movember, men and women raise awareness by growing or supporting a moustache, getting physically active, or by hosting or attending a Movember event.
If you are interested in supporting this great cause, there are a couple of ways you can get involved:
- Grow a Mo…
Join the OTGA Movember Team by clicking here - Attend a Movember event and have a Mo-ment…
This year’s Trinity Fair run by the Parents’ Association is a great opportunity to gather, share some time and have a conversation about the health of the special men in your life. - Get Mo-ving…
Slip on the sports shoes, jump on bike or hit the water. Doesn’t matter – all help to improve Men’s Health.
Look out for more information and updates each November week around PA and OTGA Movember partnership activities.
Trinity Shop and Cafeteria – Volunteers required!
If you can spare a few hours each term, we are always looking for volunteers to assist with the Cafeteria and the Swap Shop in Semester Two.
Please contact Susan Lane (Trinity Shop) or Carol-Ann Wong (Trinity Café) to register your interest. You can sign up to volunteer in the Cafe directly by clicking here.
Swap Shop Roster
Thursday 14 November: 2.00-4.00pm
- Pricing: Carolyn Couch, Debbie Browning and Fiona Griffiths
- Sales: Diane DiStefano, Kate Jennings and Helen Westerman
Tuesday 26 November: 2.00-4.00pm
- Pricing: Juli Moran, Gabrielle Baron and Fiona Griffiths
- Sales: Susan Lane and Alice Noonan
Community Relations Calendar
Sunday 24 November
Year 6 End of Year Celebration
When: 2.30pm to 6.30pm
Location: Hudson Oval Marles Playing Fields, 191 Bulleen Road, Bulleen
RSVP: trybooking.com/564167
Year 5 End of Year Celebration
When: 10.00am – 12.00pm
Location: Hudson Oval, Marles Playing Fields, 191 Bulleen Road, Bulleen
RSVP: trybooking.com/569750
Parent End of Year Drinks – Years 9, 10 and 11
Location: Glenferrie Hotel, 324 Burwood Road Hawthorn
When: From 5.00pm
No RSVP required
Year 2 End of Year Break Up Party 2019
When: 1.30 – 3.30pm
Location: Box Hill Indoor Sports Centre
RSVP: trybooking.com/BGFPO
Year 8 Family Bowling Afternoon
When: 3.30-5.30pm
Location: Hawthorn Bowls Club, 1 Wood St, Hawthorn
RSVP: by Thursday 21 November via trybooking.com/574921
Sunday 1 December 2019
Year 3 End of Year Celebration
When: From 12.00pm
Location: Marles Playing Fields, 191 Bulleen Road, Bulleen
Cost: $25 per family
RSVP: by 25 November trybooking.com/BGKRG
Sunday 8 December 2019
Year 7 End of Year Family Picnic
When: From 4.00pm
Venue: Marles Playing Fields, 191 Bulleen Road, Bulleen
Cost: BYO Food and Drink