Newsletter: Edition 3, Term 4 – 2023
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From the Principal
Early Learning Centre
Junior School
Senior School
Cocurricular
Chaplain’s Chat
Community
From the Acting Principal
As we continue to commemorate the 120th year of Trinity, the whole school gathered to celebrate the Founders’ Day assembly last week.
Students from the ELC led the school in the Acknowledgment of Country, followed by reflections from former students who attended Trinity over four different decades: Mr Marshall McGuire (OTG 1982), Mr James Brown (OTG 1992), Mr Piers Mitchem (OTG 2002), and Mr Adoni Konstantopoulos (OTG 2017). Each reflected on their experiences, which ranged from a love of music, connections made through sports, the outdoor leaders program, HPAF, and meeting Nelson Mandela, to name a few.
The consistent theme throughout, though, was the connection that they still felt to the school and the gratitude they felt for the opportunity to attend Trinity Grammar School, Kew.
To think that from 23 students and three staff in 1903, we have now grown to be a school of 1,500 students and 300 staff. It is, therefore, fitting that we pay tribute to the group of educators and community leaders who came together with a vision: to provide quality education that would shape the future of our students. The culture that has been developed over our rich history has been characterized by the values that shape who we are and who we will become; our values of truth, courage, community, and service will continue to guide us in the years to come.
We are all part of Trinity’s history and Trinity’s future, and for me personally, it is a great honour to be a member of this community.
I look forward to seeing you at the Founder’s Day Fair on Saturday 11 November.
Susan Hill
Acting Principal / Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School
Early Learning Centre
ELC Transitions
Throughout the year the ELC have developed our Kimochi wellbeing program, as we have explored and shared our social and emotional literacy development through symbols, language and illustration.
Over the past few weeks our ELC students have collaboratively created stories together with the Kimochi characters. These stories have been sparked by social and emotional areas of developmental needs in our space as well as navigating and discussing aspects of our Term 4 program and events happening in the community.
Orientation for the next stage in our students’ educational journeys can be challenging for some students. Often, it’s the unknown that sparks concern or anxiety so it is important that we create time and experiences for many discussions for our students, so they are positively supported through these upcoming changes to routines. The children may come to you as a family for support. It may be a hug or to help them sort out their feelings that might be overwhelming, or to delight in a story, or just spending time side by side and being close. Our children will often seek understanding from an attached adult to be assured their autonomy is backed by a supportive adult, one that will care for and guide them as they grow, learn and face the challenges or events in front of them.
Curious Cat – written and illustrated by Kangaroo class
Curious Cat has mixed up feelings about Halloween! Can you see them all inside her stomach.
She feels nervous, a little excited for the treats BUT not the tricks!
She thinks the doorbell ditch is going to turn her upside down when someone jumps out and says BOO!
She keeps trying to tell herself it’ll be fun, there is lots of candy, chocolate and gobstoppers! Maybe an everlasting gobstopper!
Naomi Wright
Director of the Early Learning Centre
Junior School
Camp Season is well and truly underway in the Junior School. In week 3, the Year 6 boys gathered early in the morning to leave for the airport to explore all that our nation’s capital has to offer. As part of their ‘How we Organise Ourselves’ Inquiry unit, the boys toured Parliament House, Old Parliament House, the Museum of Democracy, the Electoral Education Centre and Government House. They also visited the CSIRO, the High Court, the Royal Mint, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Film and Sound Archives, Questacon, the Embassy region, Mount Ainslie, the Australian Institute of Sport and the Australian War Memorial.
Last week it was Year 5s turn as they toured the Gold Mines of Bendigo and explored Sovereign Hill, Ballarat. The visits to mines saw the Year 5s head 61m underground, all while discovering how miners used different tools to mine quartz which contained gold. Students were then lucky enough to be immersed in an 1850s schooling experience, costumes and all. Writing with ink and on slate board certainly made many boys appreciate the many modern technologies they are afforded today.
Even our Year 2s got a piece of the camping action, spending Thursday night at school sleeping in the South Room! Students were then lucky enough to participate in the dancing workshop and reptile incursion to round off a busy two days at school.
Tomorrow, we wish our Year 4s well as they travel to Warrnambool for a 3-day camping experience. We wish them the best for their journey and can’t wait to hear about all their adventures when they return!
Samara Madden
Deputy Head of Junior School
SSV Beachside Divisional Carnival and Table Tennis Victorian State Championships
Congratulations to both Freddie and Sam (Year 5) on your outstanding performances at the recently run SSV Beachside Divisional Carnival which qualified you both to compete at the SSV Primary Schools Southern Metropolitan Regional Athletics Carnival held at Casey Fields. Sam narrowly missed out on qualifying for the SSV State finals in the 11 Years 200m finals whilst Freddie won both his 11 Years 1500m and 800m which qualifies him to compete in the SSV State Athletics Carnival to be held at the Lakeside Stadium Albert Park on Wednesday 1 November. Well done boys on such a wonderful achievement!
Congratulations to Austin (Year 5), who competed in the Table Tennis Victorian State Championships. He and his clubmate won the Under 11 Boys’ Doubles event. He also made the Quarterfinals of the U11 Singles but unfortunately was knocked out by the #2 seed.
David Ponsford
Director of Junior School Sport and Cocurricular Activities
Year 6 Parent/Carer After Party
We warmly invite you to the Year 6 Parent/Carer After Party, to celebrate our Year 6 Graduates together.
Date: Saturday 25 November
Time: 7pm-11.30pm
Venue: The Deck at The Hawthorn Hotel
Price: $65 per head, includes a cocktail on arrival, ample canapés, DJ & a dancefloor.
Click here to secure your ticket/s.
We hope to celebrate together with you at this special evening!
Year 6 Class Reps
Senior School
Thinking of our students as they move towards finishing their year and term well, reminds me how our varied contexts can offer different perspectives to our shared experiences.
With some of our Year 12s having completed their exams, others are a fortnight away from their Year 12 exam finish line. Whilst exams will inform results, the different approaches embraced to find the balance needed to focus on what is helpful, with reflection and aspiration will influence more than a score. Endings present beginnings and our 2024 Student Leaders have accepted the baton from outgoing leaders with gusto. Their transition into School, House and Co-Curricular portfolios has been seamless, carrying on the legacy of the 2023 leadership team that I imagine they too embraced.
Across Senior School our students have been applying learning developed throughout the year to mentor and lead younger students, particularly with Year 7 camp. The cycle of mutually beneficial learning between Year 10 Outdoor Leaders and Year 7 students is fundamental in building rapport across the student groups. As younger year levels prepare for end of semester exams over the next few weeks, interspersed with good weather, long weekends and the lure of summer holidays, it can be a challenge to end the term as well as we want to start the next.
Whilst refining or defining how to lever distractions to manage competing priorities and finish the term and year strong, I look forward to celebrating the achievements of 2023 with you.
Lauren Borschmann
Acting Head of Senior School / Director of Leadership
1st XI Cricket Squad Tour to South Africa
During the September school holidays, Trinity’s 1st XI cricket squad toured South Africa on a pre-season and educational tour. This was the first time the School had taken a cricket tour to South Africa. The group spent time in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Pilanesberg, Paarl and Cape Town.
Eight matches were played against high-class South African schools with our students competing well and gaining valuable learnings. The group was also able to engage with the Australian team at one of their training sessions at SuperSport Park in Pretoria and then watch them play South Africa in an ODI the next day.
The large number of non-cricket experiences included the Apartheid Museum, Voortrekker Monument, Cradle of Humankind, Union Buildings, Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge and game drives, Sun City, Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope, Robben Island, and a superb lunch hosted by Mr Botha’s wonderful parents at their home.
All in all, it was a very successful tour, with all of our students being a credit to their School and Australia as representatives.
Jack bowling at Hoërskool Waterkloof, Pretoria
Will with Marnus Labuschagne at SuperSport Park, Pretoria
Students enjoying Boma Dinner at Kwa Maritane Bush Lodge
Tour Group at Gold Reef City Theme Park, Johannesburg
Tristan Davidson
Tour Manager
Fiji Rugby Tour
Have you been to Fiji? You’ll Love it…
This seems to be the question and response that everyone gives you about the friendly island nation and its wonderful people. And then, when you arrive you are hit with the most powerful word used by locals and tourists alike: “Bula”. The word means so much and within a few days you feel like a local using it, because locals embrace it and want to share its magic as it sets your day and finishes a long day too. This year we embarked on our international rugby tour to the beautiful shores of Fiji. With 28 players and three staff we set off from a cold Melbourne and arrived in Nadi greeted by locals and a weather pattern that would set up a week of sunshine, small showers and trucker arm tans. What awaited our boys was a mixture of adventure, fun and cultural experiences, and in between, two hard fought games against some quality opposition.
First up though was the famous sand dunes where the Fiji 7’s team shape themselves before every major tournament, where each player was put through their paces by Lauren, our local tour operator and PE extraordinaire, to make the dunes a fun and wonderful experience, finishing off with some tree planting with the local conservation department to ensure these wonderful surroundings are there for generations to enjoy. With some tired and sore bodies from the dunes, we embarked on our first game day against BA-Pro, a local and professional outfit who previously were crowned champions of their local area. The game was played in superb spirit and both teams learned a lot from each other’s styles, the result not important, but the exchange of stories and the sharing of a meal with newly made friends the victor of the day.
But it is not all hard work, one needs to relax and recover and so, a day spent on South Sea Island with snorkeling, kayaking and unlimited food and drink did just the job to again set us up for game number two. This time, we took on Cuvu College, a local school in the mountains where we did a training session just two days prior. This was, as the first game, one that included bone crunching tackles and some sublime skill from both teams. Some standout performances in both games were Toby Rickman and Zach Lydon, both showcasing potential to shine for the 2024 season, whilst they were well supported by every other player on the field, and with the last 15 minutes played in a mixed team format, it allowed for both Fijians and Melbournians to learn from each other. Again, the meal and exchange of gifts after the game proved the power of rugby and the comradery formed through it. With so many toxins, bumps and bruises, one had to do something about it, and with that we visited a local village that had traditional mud pools, to soak up and remove all negative energy and aches, with a quick slap of mud from head to toe and a “fish bath” players and staff quickly transformed into radiant beings ready to tackle the next challenges.
Challenges? One can hardly call tree surfing a challenge…. but some upside-down fun was had and some questionable braking from Mr Lester made for a fun afternoon. But, our trip was never about rugby, it was always about community engagement, the exchange of cultures and the learning of new customs. Thus, the two highlights of the tour must be our afternoon spent with a local primary school where Lauren facilitated amazing activities for our boys and around 40 children and where we hope to keep the link alive and support them in their quest to give children an education despite their challenges. This afternoon was truly a fun and enriching way to finish the day and our players were amazing in their embrace of each activity.
And then, we got to finish the trip with a trip (very fast) up the river where we got to not only see locals up stream but had the honour of visiting a local village and get invited to be part of their Kava ceremony. It is here where despite the locals not having much themselves their philosophy of, “If you are happy, we are happy” was evident and our boys got to share a meal with the locals whilst enjoying a cup/bowl of Kava with them – it would be rude not to!!! This trip was not just a rugby trip, it was a trip for the soul, for the body and the mind, and true to the power of rugby and its community, it brought people and cultures together, where friends were made and stories will live on for years to come. Fiji, you will see us again. Bula and Vinaka!
Ewoud Botha
Teacher-in-Charge of Rugby
F1 in Schools State Finals
24-27 October brought in the new season with congratulations going to five Trinity teams competing in the State Finals.
Team Xenon (Year 9 students Ryan, Oliver, Christopher and Adtharsh) was crowned State Champions in Professional Class also awarded Fastest Car, Grand Prix race, best; Verbal Presentation, Innovation and Industry Collaboration awards.
Team Lumin (Year 9 students Mitchell, Timothy, Thomas, Anthony and Joshua) was crowned State Champions in Development Class also awarded best; Team Portfolio, Graphic Design, Trade Display, Marketing, Verbal Presentation, and Outstanding Industry Collaboration.
Team Hurricane (Year 9 students Binuk, Yida, Jack, Jerry and James) placed second in Development Class.
Team Beryllium (Year 8 students Jake, Nicholas, Noah G, Noah R and Silas).
Team Paragon (Year 8 students Nicholas, Neil, Zander, Ziming and Alex) won the Fastest Car award in Development Class.
Peter Clinton
Teacher in Charge of F1 in Schools
Cocurricular
Choral Concert
The Annual Trinity Choral Concert was held at Holy Trinity Church on Tuesday 17 October to a capacity audience. The concert featured the Senior and Midde School Choirs, and ensemble of St Paul’s Choristers as well as solos from Ben Reynolds, Mathew Rigby, Jimmy Hilton, Constantine Koutrouzas and Josh Simos-Garner. The singers were accompanied by Jane Matheson and Siegfried Franke. Featured item was a special arrangement of Vera Lynn’s immortal hit from the blitz, ‘We’ll Meet Again’ featuring Alex Chieng on violin and conducted by Angus Wong.
2023 Carol Service – Invitation to join our Community Choir
The Music faculty is pleased to invite the Trinity Grammar School community to form the 2023 Community Choir for the 2023 Carol Service. The Community Choir is open to all members of the Trinity Community: parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends. The Community Choir will combine with the Trinity Choirs and the St Paul’s Cathedral Choir to perform a selection of beautiful choral works and lead the congregation in the singing of the Carols.
Rehearsals will be held on Tuesday 21 and Thursday 23 November from 7:00pm – 8:30pm in the Music School. There will be an optional rehearsal with orchestra on Monday 27 November at 3:30pm in the Music School and at St Paul’s Cathedral at 9:00am on Friday 1 December.
The Carol Service will commence at 7:00pm on Friday 1 December. There will be a brief sound check at 6:00pm and Choristers should be seated by 6:30pm.
Please reply to kelleyk@trinity.vic.edu.au
Mr Kevin Kelley
Head of Choral and Vocal Music
Bigger Better Brains – Music Learning Helps Learning Difficulties
Learn more here: Music Learning Helps Learning Difficulties – Bigger Better Brains
Jan Blazejczak
Director of Music
Chaplain’s Chat
Belief
Last Friday was World Teachers Day. My passion is teaching, and I have loved my 33 years in the profession. My game plan is to always try and bring the best out in others and help students realise what they are capable of. Belief is everything.
We recently returned from an immersion to the Philippines. 4500 students in the primary schools we visited that have three shifts a day to ensure everyone gets an opportunity to learn. One fifth of the students are malnourished. Many students drink water all day to stop their hunger. Food is forsaken for stationery and paper to write on. The home visits were equally challenging. Plastic bottles and other debris for roof tops trying to keep the rain out.
The Filipino people are the happiest people in the world. They have a passion for life. Filipinos are thankful for the gift of life and find genuine purpose in helping each other every day in all they do. Despite the tough living standards, the students love their classes and teaching is a joy. The children’s beautiful smiles, the teacher’s commitment to their students and the beautiful Filipino culture left an enormous impact on us all. The Filipino people have belief. Their faith is their compass in life. Faith gives them direction, purpose and meaning every day.
Belief is everything. The Filipino people have it. It is a gift given to us all. The only real curriculum in any classroom is to inspire students to believe in themselves. Belief always gives direction and purpose and meaning and makes an impact on others. I am often asked, ‘what do you teach?’ … ‘I teach belief. Belief is everything.’
Happy World Teachers Day to all our wonderful teachers. What a great vocation.
Tom Purcell
Director of Outreach
Community
Founders’ Day Fair – Saturday 11 November
We look forward to welcoming you to this year’s Founders’ Day Fair celebrating our 120th anniversary, on Saturday 11 November from 2pm – 8pm. This is one of the main fundraisers of the Parents’ Association for the year, with funds raised gifted back to the school to benefit the students. Please note we still need volunteers and donations. Keep your eyes peeled also, for cake packs coming home in school bags next week.
To participate in this year’s Founders Day Fair raffle please click HERE for your chance to win some amazing prizes. Thank you to all our sponsors and supporters who have kindly contributed their goods, services and valuable time.
To purchase pre-paid unlimited ride passes, click HERE. We look forward to a fun-filled day!
Please see below for year level and stall specific information. Thank you to everyone who has already signed up or donated!
Lucy Cohen
Director of Community Engagement
VOLUNTEER SUPPORT
This year, to help with stall organisation on the day of the Fair, each year level has been allocated a stall to assist. They are:
Prep: Chinese Food
Year 1: Chinese Arts & Crafts
Year 2: Secondhand clothing
Year 3: Cakes
Year 4: Plants
Year 5: Entertainment
Year 6: Rides tickets
Year 7: Hot Chips & Donuts
Year 8: Jewellery & Silent Auction
Year 9: Chocolate Toss & Snow Cones
Year 10: Trash, Treasure & Toys, and Secondhand Books
Year 11: Gyros & set-up/pack-up
Year 12: Harambee BBQ
Please sign up via the link below to help out on the day or contact your respective Class Representative.
https://volunteersignup.org/WPA94
YEAR LEVEL DONATIONS
This year, we are asking specific year levels to help with donations of supplies for the Fair.
Years 7 – 9 Soft Drink (canned) or water (bottled)
All donations can be received at JS & SS Reception or at the Community Engagement Office (55 Wellington St). Classes who donate the most of each category will win a special prize for their whole class!
Parents of Years 10 – 12 – Bottle(s) of wine
For our inaugural Wine Lucky Dip prize, we ask that parents donate a bottle that they’d be happy to win back. These can be dropped off by parents at Senior School Reception or the Community Engagement Office (55 Wellington St).
Other Fair information
Vintage Fashion & Jewellery Stalls
This is your opportunity to give your pre-loved garments a second chance to shine!
The Fashion Stall is seeking donations of menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, vintage T-shirts, sportswear, streetwear, partywear, costume pieces, festival fashion, accessories, jewellery and footwear. We particularly welcome “vintage” pieces circa 2000s, 1990, 1980s and 1970s.
Clothing: Gently used clothing for all ages and seasons.
Shoes: Second-hand shoes in various sizes.
Accessories: scarves, belts, hats, and handbags
Vintage Clothing: Unique and retro clothing items.
Jewellery: Necklaces, earrings, bracelets.
Donations can be dropped off at Maintenance (as per Trash & Treasure) or at the Community Engagement Office at 55 Wellington Street, Kew. If you love fashion, come and visit the stall on Fair day!
Get your baking aprons on!
We are once again reaching out to our parent community to assist with baking goods to be sold at the Trinity’s famous Cake Stall on Fair day. Instructions and boxes will be sent home in all student schoolbags from Tuesday 31 October. Baked goods can be dropped off at Junior School Reception on Friday 10 November or on the morning of the Fair.
In addition, we invite you to come along to the Annual Cake Pack Prep Night! Join the Cake Stall group for a drink and a snack while helping prepare the cake packs that are given to every student for the stall on Thursday 19 October 2023 from 7pm to 8:30pm. For more details, please contact Kelly Tomietto (0419 333 414) or Boe Dale (0400 811 270).
Vintage Vinyl Stall
Calling on parents and grandparents! We are looking for donations of any records, albums, 12inch singles, 7inch singles, good quality tapes, DVDs and CDs. Text Sean on 0401 719 846 to organise drop off or collection.
Don’t forget to sign up to volunteer: https://volunteersignup.org/WPA94
Fair Plant Stall – can you help?
The Plant Stall is looking for donations of cuttings or plants. If you are able to contribute or if you are interested in being involved with other Plant Stall activities, please email Vanessa Solomon, vanessa.s.solomon@gmail.com
Blazer embroidery for December 2023
To ensure the best opportunity for blazers to be back in time for Term 1 2024 commencement, we kindly ask that all blazers be dry cleaned and submitted by Wednesday 13 December 2023. We also recommend that any 2024 student leaders drop their blazer off before this date. Rebraids for blazers take 3-5 weeks.
All blazers and worn garments requiring alterations (including embroidery), must be clearly labelled with student’s name and have a dry-cleaning tag attached and be in the original dry-cleaning bag. Please remove all personal items (badges etc). This is an essential measure to protect the wellbeing of our staff and contractors for now and the foreseeable future. Noncompliance with dry-cleaning and blazers submitted after the cutoff time may result in delays. We thank you for your co-operation.
Bob Stewart
Important Dates
Wednesday 1 November
Junior School SSV State Athletics Carnival, Lakeside Stadium 8:00AM
Year 4 Warrnambool Camp commences, 8:30AM
Thursday 2 November
Junior School Trinity & Ruyton Term 4 Buddy Day
VCE Study Night, 6:00PM
Friday 3 November
Prep – Year 2 Musical Performance, Cotham Road Showroom 11:30AM
Africa Homework Club, 3:15PM
Year 4 Warrnambool Camp concludes, 3:15PM
Dadirri House Exeat, 3:30PM
Year 7E & 7F Outdoor Education Camp concludes, Nillahcootie Camp 4:30PM
Monday 6 November
Mid Term Holiday
Tuesday 7 November
Melbourne Cup Day
Dadirri House return, 5:00PM
Wednesday 8 November
Prep (2024) Orientation Morning, 9:00AM
Thursday 9 November
Year 11 Final Classes
Trinity Shop, 2:00PM-4:00PM
VCE Study Night, 6:00PM
Philippines Immersion Tour 2023 Post-Trip Evening, Arnold Hall 7:00PM
Friday 10 November
Year 11 Study Day (no classes)
Africa Homework Club, 3:15PM
Saturday 11 November
Remembrance Day
AGSV Year Level Summer Sport Final Round (Firsts Table Tennis & Volleyball)
Trinity Shop, 10:30AM-12:30PM
Founders’ Day Fair, 2:00PM
Monday 13 November
Year 11 Study Day
Year 7G & 7H Outdoor Education Camp commences, Nillahcootie Camp 8:00AM
Year 10 Leaders on 7G & 7H Outdoor Education Camp commences Nillahcootie 8:00AM
Design & Technology Exhibition Opening Tudor Centre 6:00PM
Trinity Ruyton Year 9 Play (2024) Callbacks, 3:30PM
Tuesday 14 November
Year 11 Examinations commence
Year 5 Ensemble Program Concert, Cotham Road Showroom 11:50AM
Parents’ Association Meeting, 7:00PM