From the Principal

Please watch the above Video Blog from our Principal, Mr Brad Fry.       

Lunch with our Life Governors

On Friday 13 November, our Life Governors had lunch with the Principal, Mr Brad Fry; Vice Principal, Mr Jason McManus and Chaplain, Father Stewart Taplin. It was a wonderful opportunity to catch up and reconnect, as well as share their memories of Tintern. It was also the first opportunity we have had to bring our Life Governors together since inducting Lorraine and Gary Coles in August. 

Memorial for Nick Smith

Members of the Tintern Schools community are invited to a memorial service to celebrate the life of Nick Smith at 11am on Friday 27 November.  Nick’s daughter, Louise (10B) and son Ashley (Year 7 2016) and wife Fiona Blackmore (Tintern Board member) welcome you to join the service at Monsalvat, 7 Hillcrest Avenue, Eltham.  A light lunch and drinks/coffee will be available afterwards for those who can join the family afterwards.  To assist with catering, RSVPs to Fiona Blackmore at fblack@bigpond.net.au by Sunday 22 November would be appreciated.  If you have any photos, videos or memories of Nick you would like to share, please email Fiona who will forward DropBox details to you.

Sport Matters

2015 Victorian All Schools Track & Field Championships

A number of our elite athletes took the opportunity to compete in the Victorian All Schools Track and Field Championships spread over three days last weekend. Congratulations to all students who competed and the following outstanding performances:

Gary Haasbroek     
2nd U/17 High Jump (2.00m)
3rd U/17 Long Jump
3rd U/17 Triple Jump
3rd U/17 Hurdles

Nicole Davis           
5th U/18 Shot Put

Corey Dickson
1st U/14 3000m Walk

Paul Haasbroek
5th U/14 High Jump
7th U/14 Javelin

Corey Robinson
6th U/18 400m Hurdles

National Gymnastics Gold – Erin Doupe

Congratulations to Erin Doupe (Year 8) who competed at the State Gymnastics Championships at Geelong Arena over the weekend. She competed in the Under 14, Australian Levels Program placing 11th overall across 4 disciplines and WINNING 1st place in the uneven bars, a fantastic achievement!

Music Matters

Students bring joy to elderly

On Friday 30 October, the Tintern Intermediate Choir and Scrolls String Orchestra were given the opportunity to perform for the elderly citizens of Aveo Mingarra Retirement Village. The program consisted of five choral pieces, three works for string orchestra, a brass trio, a flute trio and number of solos on violin, cello and piano. The pianists on the day had to deal with an unfamiliar keyboard, but they persevered to perform enjoyable pieces. It was evident that the residents of the Village greatly enjoyed each performance. Some were heard singing or humming to the tunes of well-known pieces, such as the Seeker’s Celebration Medley performed by the Intermediate Choir, the Star Wars theme performed by the brass trio, and Lascia ch’io Pianga played on ‘cello. The girls and boys have gained experience from performing to a variety of generations and adapting to a new venue with different equipment. We know that on this occasion, we gave the elderly residents something to enjoy and smile about.

by Brianna Oldmeadow (Year 9), Tintern Intermediate Choir Captain

Heidi sings with success at Diamond Valley Eisteddfod

Congratulations to Heidi Ruckert (Year 11) on her recent success at the Diamond Valley Eisteddfod. She received a 1st place in the Open Ballad section of the competition and an Honourable Mention in the Novice section. This was made even more notable for the fact that Heidi also completed her seventh grade singing examination on the same weekend. Well done, Heidi!

Student Ensembles brave the heat at Maroondah Festival

It was a hot and bright sunny day and we all arrived energetic and prepared to perform at the Maroondah Festival. The Concert Band, the Saxophone Ensemble and the Electric String Quartet (with support on drums from Rory Shepherd) all gave great performances and showed the large audience the musical best of what Tintern has to offer. Once everyone was ready on stage, we performed to our best and Mrs Bezaire said we were great ambassadors for Tintern. It was exciting to play at such a large event. We would like to thank Mrs Clarke and Mr Veldman for helping us rehearse and for offering us this wonderful opportunity.

by Aaron Zhou, Year 8

Upcoming Events

Wednesday 18 November
Year 7 Information Evening
7.30pm         Concert Band in the CM Wood Centre

Thursday 19 November
Victorian School Music Festival, Deakin Edge, Federation Square
4.30pm         Concert Band (Depart school 3.30pm)

Friday 20 November
School of Rock, Battle of the Bands Competition
EV’s Youth Centre, 212 Mt Dandenong Road, Croydon

Support our own “Little Archive” as they battle it out with bands from Aquinas College, Melba Secondary College, Norwood Secondary College, Croydon Community School and Ringwood Secondary College. This is an all ages, fully supervised, alcohol and smoking-free event. 6.30pm – 11.00pm. Tickets $5 at the door.

For further info: http://www.maroondahyouthservices.com/evs/evs_gig_guide

Sunday 22 November
Friends of Music Munch with the Musos, including ensembles from Junior, Middle and Senior Schools.
10.00am       CM Wood Centre
Bookings: http://www.trybooking.com/JNJK

Please click here to download the Munch with the Musos Flyer.

Wednesday 25 November
Year 8 Performing Arts Night, involving students from Years 8B, 8C and 8E
7.30pm         CM Wood Centre

Support our local music supplier & receive 10% discount!

For a number of years Hans Music Spot in Croydon has been a staunch supporter of music at Tintern. From donations to raffles to supply of music awards and prizes, Peter Meyer and his staff are always willing to assist in whatever manner they can. If you are in the market for instruments, printed music, guitar strings, reeds for your clarinet or a ukulele (they have a huge range!), please stop by and mention ‘Tintern’ to receive a 10% discount.

Community Matters

Friends of Music Munch with the Musos

The Friends of Music’s ‘Munch with the Musos’ will be held this year on Sunday 22 November. ‘Munch’, Friends of Music’s Christmas-themed end of year event, is now in its 8th year, and is always a fun occasion for young and old. A casual event with a light brunch, coffee and juice provided, Munch is a great way to finish off the year enjoying performances from our musicians from the Junior and Middle schools, ending with a marvellous sing-along that has been known to raise the roof of the packed-to-capacity CM Wood Centre. Tickets are available through trybooking: http://www.trybooking.com/JNJK  $10 per person online before Thursday 19 November, or $15 at the door (performers & pre-schoolers free)

EARLY BOOKINGS GIVEN SEATING/TABLE ALLOCATION PRIORITY SO BOOK EARLY! All details can be downloaded here. Munch-Flyer-2015.pdf

2015 Second hand Book Sale

Parent volunteers coordinate a Second Hand Book Sale every year as a service to the Tintern Schools community. The sale allows families to purchase second hand books and to sell current text books. A commission of 10% is levied on books sold with proceeds donated to the School for the purchase of class sets. Although online textbooks are now being used in some subjects, hard copy textbooks are still required for some subjects at all year levels from 7 – 12 where some of these will be for sale through the Book Sale. Secondary students will receive notices about the Book Sale on Thursday 12 November through their pastoral groups and Year 12 families have now received an email.

All forms and notices are now available by clicking here.  http://portal.tintern.vic.edu.au/homepage/10100

The Book Sale organisers are looking for parent or senior student volunteers to help with the Second Hand Book Sale between Tuesday 1 and Friday 4 December.

Volunteers receive priority purchase and selling of their textbooks through the Book Sale, and senior students also receive community service hours. If you are able to assist, please contact Joy Ashfield on 0418 304 020 or email joyashfield5@bigpond.com

Alternatively you can contact the Community relations office on 9845 7877 or email communityrelations@tintern.vic,edu.au for further information.

If a book is not listed on our second hand list you may be able to sell at ‘Lilydale books’ who have some second hand books to buy and sell: http://www.lilydalebooks.com.au/Second-Hand-Books

Friends of Music Christmas Mince and Lemon Tart fundraiser

Bakers Delight Croydon has offered us the opportunity to purchase delicious Fruit Mince Tarts or Lemon Tarts and support our Friends of Music group.

The more Tarts you purchase the more you support our Friends of Music who in turn support our wonderful music department.

For every six-pack of Christmas Tarts you order, Bakers Delight Croydon will give $2.00 to Tintern Schools Friends of Music.

Simply fill in the order form with the quantity of Christmas Tarts you would like to order, bring your order form together with full payment back to the Community Relations Office by Tuesday 24 November 2015 (or at Munch with the Musos on Sunday 22 November 2015) and your Tarts will be ready to collect on Thursday 3 December 2015.

Remember to ask family and friends if they would like to order some too.

You can download an order form here                                                          

Twilight Market cancelled: Please note that due to some unforeseen circumstances, the Christmas Twilight Market will not be going ahead this year. Apologies for any inconvenience this may cause and we hope to “bring back” the market – bigger and better in 2016.  

Friends of Equestrian Horse camp 27-29 November 2015

The AEBC training method is science based and very practical to follow using accessible language to help us understand the training of our horses to enhance our riding. Both Manuela and Andrew give demonstrations and clinics throughout the world but regularly in 11 countries, their older son is successful dressage rider and trainer in Germany. They have many years of competition experience and many exceptional horses and riders trained. They have worked with many police forces around the world such as Australia, Belgium etc who incorporate their training techniques to ensure police horses are unconditional to aids. You can download a Clinic booking form 2015 Clinic booking form and a FOE payment form here Tintern FOE Camp info and payment form. If you have any queries about the camp please contact the clinic coordinator, Mrs Sandy Garland on 0425 735 577  or contact the Community Relations Office for more details. All student riders must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The Friends of Equestrian invite all riders to attend their end of year Horse camp at the Australian Equine Behavioural centre.

Support your school

There are a number of ways you can support our school without even trying.

Forest Hill’s Toy World, East Ringwood IGA and Aussie Farmers all have reward programs where you can nominate Tintern Schools and a percentage of sales is returned to the school.

• Toy World Forest Hill – just nominate Tintern Schools as your preferred school next time you shop
• IGA tags – collect an IGA tag from the Community Relations office and swipe every time you shop
• Aussie Farmers – nominate Tintern Schools as your preferred school next time you shop.

The School has recently received a $50 voucher as a percentage donation of products purchased from Toy World Forest Hill throughout the year; this voucher has been passed onto our Early Learning Centre for them to spend on some new play things.

If you have any queries about these rewards programs or you know of others the school could be signed up to, please contact Di Lacey in the Community Relations office on 9845 7877 or email communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Tintern Parents Last Day Christmas Lunch

The Southwood Parents Club will be hosting a parent lunch on the final day of school. Click here for more information. 

Community Committee dates

The Tintern Association (TTA) – Next meeting: Thursday 19 November, 7.30pm Kennedy Cottage – All Welcome. President: Amanda McKenzie

Southwood Parents’ Club (SPC) – Next Meeting: Please contact the Community Relations Office for next meeting details. President: Loraine Allender

Friends of Music (FOM) – Next Meeting: Tuesday 1 December 2015 at 7pm. Please contact the Community Relations Office for venue details (*NB time change). President: Tim Oldmeadow

Friends of Young Farmers (FOYF) – Next meeting: Please contact the Community Relations Office for next meeting details. President: Joy Ashfield               

Friends of Equestrian (FOE) – Next meeting: Wednesday 25 November, 7.30pm Please contact the Community Relations office for venue details. President: Kevin Jones

by Di Lacey, Community Relations Development Manager

Remembrance Day

On the 11th of November, the leadership team for 2016, accompanied by Mr Fry, were lucky enough to represent Tintern  at the annual Ringwood RSL Remembrance Day Service.

For all those in attendance it was a moving and thought invoking experience. It was an opportunity to reflect over the many who fell victim to war, or whose lives’ would never be the same because of it. Many members of the wider community, as well as those representing other schools from the region were also present to pay their respect.

Our school captains Michael and Gen were given the opportunity to lay a wreath, in commemoration of those who were lost in the conflicts in which Australia has been involved.

As we walked under the railway bridge along Ringwood street to reach the Clocktower where the service was held, we passed a beautiful mural which was freshly painted to commemorate the event. We were asked by the artist to each add a cross on the wall as a sign of respect, and in speaking to him found that he took much of the inspiration for his painting from the artwork of a past Tintern student. As it happens, a student had painted a piece a few year ago which had since been on display in the Ringwood RSL. It was a pleasant surprise to see such a gorgeous piece splayed across the concrete, inspired by the work of one of our own.

Remembrance day is a chance for the nation, and in a more isolated sense, the Ringwood and surrounding community, to recall the events which shaped our country, and remember the honourable men and women who risked their lives to protect it. We were privileged to be able to attend, and make our small contribution to the service.

by Ryan Tierney, Year 11

Back at school, our Prep – Year 9 students gathered together to mark this occasion and reflect on the sacrifices made for us.

Pre-Prep to Year 2 Athletics Carnival

On Wednesday 11 November Pre-Prep to Year 2 participated in their annual Athletics Carnival. All the boys and girls had fun and competed to the best of their ability. They competed in sprint races, shuttle relays, mini hurdles, vortex throw, long jump and weaving races.  It was great to see the parents joining in some events with their son/daughter also.

ELC Story Time

Each week Father Taplin and Mrs Riddell take a Story Time session with all the Pre-Prep children. This is a valuable time where sound values and attitudes are promoted throughout these sessions which are in line with the School Compass. This week the girls and boys listened to the nativity story and learnt about the time Jesus was born.  

Pre-Prep to Year 2 Athletics Carnival

On Wednesday 11 November Pre-Prep to Year 2 participated in their annual Athletics Carnival. All the boys and girls had fun and competed to the best of their ability. They competed in sprint races, shuttle relays, mini hurdles, vortex throw, long jump and weaving races.  It was great to see the parents joining in some events with their son/daughter also.

10 year old passes AMusA!

Congratulations to Sarah Chen who has just passed her AMusA piano exam. The Associate Diploma in Music, Australia (AMusA) is a diploma awarded by examination to outstanding candidates in the fields of musical performance and music theory by the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB).

This result would be an outstanding achievement for a secondary student but it is absolutely amazing for someone as young as Sarah who is only 10 years old. Sarah is a very gifted and talented student and we are very proud of all her hard work and commitment to complete the requirements for this examination.

Assembly this week

Every Wednesday, the Junior School girls assemble together to enjoy a variety of interesting and educational sessions led by a variety of people including the Head of Junior School, the Principal and the Chaplain. Small presentations from each class are often included.  Worship and pride in belonging to the Tintern community are integral to these gatherings.

This week we enjoyed some very enjoyable piano playing from Sarah Thompson and a visit from the new Year 12 leaders for 2016, including the new School Captain Genevieve Barclay (Ms Green’s daughter!). The theme for the week was ‘confidence’. This was introduced through the story of Buttercup Bree who loved making daisy chains. Some bullies made fun of her and took a photo of her to post on every tree in sight until she couldn’t escape them anywhere. The proliferation of images represents the internet in Buttercup’s world, which the author Davis designed as a dark environment. It was a powerful message for our students, in particular the upper primary girls.  If you are interested in watching the animated story which was shown in the Assembly…. Click here http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/oct/16/kate-winslet-and-the-little-australian-anti-bulling-film-that-could?CMP=fb_gu

The story finishes with a happy ending as Buttercup gains confidence and triumphs over the bullies who eventually join her and change their ways.

Interesting but concerning facts!

One in five young people has suffered online abuse! A survey of more than 4,700 teenagers reveals almost half think cyberbullying is a bigger issue than drug abuse among young people. Information on cyber safety can be found here: https://esafety.gov.au/

Year 5s Phillip Island Surf Camp

The Year 5s had an amazing camp at Philip Island.                                                                                          

Blood pumping and ready to go on the 4th of November, we arrived at the bus bay and all of us were early! We knew we had an exciting camp just at our fingertips.

Although this was 3 days of action packed adventure, here are the few of the many highlights;

Boogies Boarding Session! Yep, jump in and hang on as we glided down some 2 metre waves with a wall of whitewash to propel us into shore. Although there were 3 lifeguards and a teacher, in the water with us, we were zipping past all of them as we did what is called a ‘party wave’ where we all rode the wave together. Some made it to shore whilst others tumbled in the turbulent hydro wash!

After playing on the nice and hot beach an ice cream sounded good so we walked down to the pier in Cowes. Along the way we found some jelly fish, some small fish and some really cool soldier crabs (all harmless of course). After eating our ice-cream we walked back to camp and had the delicious lasagne. Then after dinner we went out for a fun game of Find The Teacher and 40/40.

The next morning we woke up and had breakfast which was pancakes! It was great to have a hot breakfast as it was cold and raining outside and yet, Mr White told us, we were going to get out there anyway! So we did. We put on our rain coats and headed down to the Nobbies, where we witnessed our second highlight – penguins. Yep, lots of penguins. We were the only people down on the rocky cliffs so the penguins felt comfortable and came out of their burrows, in the rain, to say hello.

Later in the afternoon we went off for our surf lesson, which was amazing. The instructors really enjoyed teaching us and gave us some extra time. By the end most of us were standing up and surfing like Mick Fanning (without shark in tow!).

When we got back to our cabins we had a hot shower, ate dinner and snuggled up in our sleeping bags and watched a movie called Holes.

Sadly, the next morning was our last day at Philip Island. We finished off our Surf Camp with a visit to Amaze ‘n’ Things for the mirror maze, illusion room, drop slide and mini golf. Overall the boys had an Amaze ‘N’ time (yes I used the corny joke). We would rate this camp a 10/10! The Year 4s are going to love it next year!

by Will Butterfield (Year 5) and Lee White, Junior School Teacher – Year 5 boys

Honour

Our Parallel Model provides so many opportunities for us to work with our students in a manner that suits their interests and learning styles, yet we are always conscious in the younger years that interactions with the opposite gender can be limited.

It is therefore important that in our Boys Junior School, we speak often about, and guide our boys through, an understanding of successes, equality and respect with regard to girls and women.

My focus this week, at both our Prep-Year 2, and Year 3-6, Assemblies, was on Honourable and Respectful behaviour, towards one another, and with a specific focus towards BRAVE, courageous and heroic women.

After reflecting upon Michelle Payne’s historic win in the Melbourne Cup, we spoke about the amazing composure, care and strength of Ann Frank as she hid from the Nazis and the courage and integrity of Rosa Parks, as she sat for her rides on the Montgomery Bus in 1955, whose bravery ultimately led to change. Her quote “When that white driver stepped back toward us, when he waved his hand and ordered us up and out of our seats, I felt a determination cover my body like a quilt on a winter night” is so powerful.

We explored the mystery of Amelia Earhart; a pioneer, a woman who proved to the World that women can accept risks, and be as BRAVE and fearless as men, and who’s mysterious disappearance is still tragic.

And we concluded with Malala Yousafzai shot by the Taliban because of her conviction, her belief in equality and the rights of all to a decent education. Recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, BRAVE and stoic. “They thought that the bullet would silence us. But they failed… Weakness, fear  and hopelessness died. Strength, Power and Courage was born.” Malala’s speech to the United Nations on her 16th Birthday is again such a strong and powerful reflection.

We have made mention of many male heroes in our assemblies; Shackleton, Douglas Badar, General Monash…but it is so important for our boys’ development now to lay the foundations so that when they become adolescents, and then men, they are aware of, understand, and respect, the fact that women are the equal of men, and should be treated and loved with respect and honour.

CREST Projects

At our Assembly on Monday 23 November, we will be acknowledging the efforts of 16 of our Year 5 and 6 boys who have worked independently on their CREST projects (Creativity in Science and Technology). All of the boys worked with persistence and independence  to complete their investigation. As the CREST projects allow students to choose a topic that is of interest to them, there was quite a range of investigations including; the effect of temperature on ‘p’, conductivity of tap water and salt water, Inventing a product to keep cushions in place in cars, so they don’t slip and how much your height changes during the day.

We congratulate the following boys on their work:

Year 5: Max Adam, Elliott Corcoran, Liam Eadie, Mark Evans, Krisshnaa Kannan, Lorcan McCrave, Oscar Webb

Year 6: Craig Bonnington, Adam Choong, Joshua Choong, Kaidan Dalzotto, Oscar De Jong, James Manson, Archer Rostron

Year 2 Dads and Lads evening

On Friday November 6 the Year 2 boys enjoyed a special Dads and Lads activity evening. The boys enjoyed some time in the Tintern gym with their Dads and Mr Kenny before heading back down to the Hamilton Building for an early BBQ dinner. Then it was off to bowling and laser strike. The competitive streak in a few was evident as those bowling balls zoomed down the alleys and, more often than not, veered off course. It was great to see the boys encouraging each other and offering advice to those of us less skilled! But laser strike was the most fun of all, with the boys (young and old) setting their sights on their targets and relentlessly chasing them down. Our usual school code of ‘be safe, be kind, be fair’ may have been temporarily set aside during this part of the evening! All in all it was a fabulous fun-filled Friday night.

by Jen Sloane, Primary Teacher – Year 2 boys

Boys Middle School News

The mid-term break seems to come around so quickly in Term 4; maybe it’s the thought of report writing from a teacher’s perspective or the arrival of exams and common tests for our Middle School boys. Either way, the term goes fast and with that, the end of the year is getting closer.

Pride is something we have been discussing with our boys in the Middle School in the last few weeks; pride in their work, pride in their school and most importantly pride in themselves. We talked about the importance of accepting who they were and to not be critical of themselves. This is such a difficult concept for adolescent boys to do as it is an age where self-image and perceptions are at their most volatile.

We have been reiterating simple things such as the way you dress, the way you carry yourself, the way you interact with people, the way you present work are all important factors for how people perceive you and therefore respond to you. We want our boys to recognise that in the future they will be judged on these characteristics and they will be compared to others, especially for things such as job interviews and relationships. As difficult as it sounds, we are wanting our boys to try and see themselves in 10 or 15 years time and to ensure that they are the sort of person that they would be proud of.

In Year 9 our boys have continued their Becoming a Man program in Challenge. Following on from their cooking a meal in the last holidays they have been rotating through a number of different sessions focussing on some of life’s basic skills. We have had the boys learning how to iron and sort washing, undertake a session on manners and etiquette with women, making lattes on a coffee machine and also very basic car maintenance including how to use a jack and change a tyre. They boys were very enthusiastic about all activities as you will be able to see from the photos.

The Year 8s have been focussing on a number of different areas at the moment; for 8E is has been the Year 8 Performing Arts Night which will see the boys taking on the Polynesian theme introduced to them at a recent performance by Bernard Mangakahia. A large number of our Year 8 boys have also applied for leadership positions in the Middle School for next year which is a wonderful reflection of the quality of the young men we have. Leadership is something that will play a significant role for all Year 9 boys next year regardless of being in a title position or not.

We had 12 Year 8 boys recently represent Tintern at a Touch Rugby Gala Day where we competed against a number of other schools in a round robin style tournament. Our boys were excellent and were only beaten by teams from higher year levels. A fantastic experience for the boys and will lead very nicely into a larger tournament next year for Year 9s.

Recently our Year 7s had their Night of the Notables and when talking about, this was certainly evident on the night. It was an amazing night with all boys putting in a fantastic effort and producing work of the utmost quality. It was wonderful to see them walk across the stage proudly and introduce themselves to the audience, and then to interact so openly with all visitors on the night. A big thank you to all parents and extended family members who came to visit on the night, it really was a great evening that certainly filled us with a sense of pride.

Girls Middle School News

As we reach the half way mark of Term 4 there’s still plenty of action to come in the Girls Middle School. On Wednesday 18 November we will welcome our 2016 Year 7 students to Tintern at their final Orientation Day. It is a very exciting time for families as the girls prepare themselves for Year 7 and throughout the day the girls will get to meet their Form group and Form Teacher for 2016 as well as take part in transition and House activities. 

Our Year 7 Geography students have this week gone on an excursion to Blackburn Lake and had a wonderful time. 

Our Year 9s are busily preparing for examinations and beyond that can look forward to Year 10 transition and Summer Expeditions.

From 2-4 December our Year 7 and 8 students will be taking part in a new initiative for 2016 – the eYp or ‘End of Year Program’. Throughout the three days girls will be working in House groups on a comprehensive and engaging project. The project topics are still ‘top secret’ but there’s going to be plenty of opportunity for students to demonstrate their skills in creativity, teamwork and collaboration as well as test their thinking skills. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks!

ICAS English Results

Many of our Middle School girls received Distinction and High Distinction results in the ICAS competition. Please click here for the results.

Year 9 Outdoor Education River Sledding

Our Year 9 Outdoor Education Elective students have been out and about last week enjoying wonderful local environments. Girls enjoyed a trip to the Eastlink trail to test their mountain biking skills ahead of them visiting Lysterfield Lake next week and the girls also enjoyed River Sledding on the Yarra River.

Maroondah Festival

It was fantastic to see so many students representing Tintern at the Maroondah Festival over the weekend with performances from the Saxophone Ensembles, String (Electric String) Quartet and the Concert Band on a glorious Spring day. It was a fabulous opportunity to showcase our students and their musical talents and our Young Farmers and accompanying sheep were a great hit too.

Emma Pearson wins science writing competition at Monash University

Emma Pearson (YG 2013) (left) appeared in The Age on Wednesday 4 November for winning a science writing competition at Monash University. To help prepare our next generation of scientists for this dynamic, evolving work environment, all Monash University Science students take a second year unit designed to school them in the dark arts of science history and scientific good practise, communication and ethics.

As part of this subject, the students were set the task of finding a recent, peer-reviewed scientific article and distilling the essence of the research into a 200-word press release designed to capture the imagination of the lay public while accurately conveying the main messages of the researchers.

Please click here for more information and Emma’s article.

Senior College News

Year 12 IB and Units 3 and 4 examinations have been continuing this week and a number of students have celebrated their final examination already. It is not uncommon for students to feel somewhat disorientated as their busy schedules and the associated pressures suddenly come to an end. Generally these emotions don’t last as students adjust to life beyond their studies.

Year 12 families will receive information shortly about the events held by tertiary institutions during the change of preference period following the release of VCE results and ATAR online on the 14 December from 7am. IB students are encouraged to take advantage of assistance from the tertiary institutions during this week. Further information relating to key VTAC dates can be found at http://www.vtac.edu.au/dates.html. Please note that courses cannot be altered on the VTAC website during the next few weeks until after 10.00am on 23 November and change of preference closes at midday on the 21 December 2015.

Year 11 students enjoyed a pizza lunch before their examinations next week.  Examinations commence on Monday 16 November in the CM Wood Centre and then the students are able to complete their examinations from Wednesday 18 November in the Anderson Centre.

The Year 10 students are also looking forward to their Social to be held at Alfred’s Homestead on Thursday 19 November. All Year 11 students are involved in the ‘Fit to Drive Program’ on Monday 23 November. The formal academic program for current Years 10 and 11 students commences on Tuesday 24 November and concludes on Monday 30 November.

Changes to Obtaining a Tax File Number

Recently a number of students have enquired about obtaining a tax file number. This is a reminder that The Australian Taxation Office altered the application process last year for obtaining a Tax File Number. Schools can no longer process applications for students. The following link provides details about the new procedures that are similar to applying for a passport.

Please select https://www.ato.gov.au/Forms/TFN—application-for-individuals/

The Australian Apprenticeship Pathways Website

A new tool on the Australian Apprenticeships Pathways website has recently been released that may be useful for students considering these career pathways. The ‘Career Interest Explorer’ tool captures interests and then provides options to explore training and employment opportunities. The resource can be found at http://www.aapathways.com.au/Search/Career-Interest-Explorer

Year 10 Art Exploration Excursion to National Gallery of Victoria and Hosier Lane

Despite the wild weather, on Thursday 5 November, the Year 10 Art Explorations class ventured into Melbourne to view works at the National Gallery of Victoria – International, on St Kilda road. The students were in awe of the fine detail and techniques of painters from the 15th century and saw a huge contrast in the iconic graffiti works in Hosier Lane. Having completed their own paintings this semester, it was a valuable experience to see examples of similar techniques, yet vastly different subject matter. The famous water wall, stained glass ceiling and different levels of the gallery lead us all on a timeline of art, looking at how work is displayed in different ways and questioning “What make an artwork art?”.

Philosophy Workshop

Descartes: Cogito ergo sum – I think, therefore I am

An inaugural interschool Philosophy Workshop took place on Wednesday 11 November. This program, run by Tisha Eggleston, provided participants with an overview of some key areas of philosophical thought, including theory of knowledge, metaphysics, ethics, morality and logic. Students engaged with the fundamental questions of existence, working together to construct frameworks upon which individual and societal understanding and morality is based. The day was interspersed with discussion, conundrums, solving of hypothetical problems and a viewing of Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Measure of a Man. There is no doubt the students left with a deeper knowledge of the world of philosophy and thinking skills which they can transfer into other areas of their academic studies. Sincere thanks from all participants goes to Ms Eggleston for making this opportunity possible.

by Anthea Watkins, Horizon Centre Co-ordinator, Boys Year 7 Co-ordinator 

The UNSW ICAS English Competition

Year 7 to 9 students achieved outstanding results when they participated in the International Competition and Assessment for Schools (ICAS) Writing Competition run by the University of New South Wales. It is an annual competition entered by students from Australia and overseas. All entrants receive a certificate and an individual student report indicating which questions they answered correctly, their total score as well as their average compared with the rest of the students in the State. The student report is also useful for highlighting student strengths and weaknesses in skills, and comparing their progress with previous results. Further personal details regarding individual student performance can be obtained from http://www.eaa.unsw.edu.au. Select Get Student Results from the top left corner of the screen and then enter your TAP-ID and Password (PIN) which are found at the bottom of the letter accompanying the certificate.

The most outstanding results were as follows:

Year 7

High Distinction

Ashleigh Dowling 

Distinction

Jac Bellfinch                    

Zoë Classon                      

Fintan McCrave             

Bianca Settle                    

Hannah Taylor                

Joshua Winter    

Year 8

High Distinction

Gabriella Tanousis    

Distinction  

Reilly Collins                   

Carla Di Pierro            

Molly Fleming                

Sophie Glasson              

Charli Lewis                    

Jasmin Liew                     

Kimberley Maher         

Aidyn Malojer                 

Rose Russell                     

Nicolani Susanto           

Kaitlyn Woodhill           

Eddie Yu    
                        

Year 9

High Distinction

Hamish Ensor                   

Annie Zhao     

Distinction                     

Rosemary Addsion       

Manya Bhatia                  

Daniella Cosentino       

Holly Fryer                         

Ashleigh Harrison          

Charlotte Menagh         

Congratulations to all students who participated in this year’s Competitions.

Final Day of School

When time allows, we know that many of our parents and guardians enjoy visiting the school to attend assemblies. Our final day of school on Tuesday 8 December will be packed with many assemblies and special events that we invite you to attend and enjoy.

With this in mind, our Southwood Parents Club have offered to host a special end of year lunch for all families who wish to remain on site for the various events, or for those who wish to come along and catch up with other families. 

Schedule of the day

Below are just some of the activities that are planned for our students, and our parents would be welcome to attend any or all of these.

7.30am                Girls Year 6 Graduation Breakfast (CM Wood)

8.45am                Boys Junior School Family Christmas Morning (Hamilton Centre)

9.15am                Boys Middle School Ironman competition (Oval)

10am                    Girls Junior School Final Assembly (Colebrook Hall)

11am                    Combined Middle Schools Assembly (CM Wood)

11.30am             Tintern Parents Last Day Christmas Lunch (Compass Café)

1.30pm                Girls Prep – Year 2 Christmas Concert (CM Wood)

2.50pm                Boys Prep – Year 9 Farewell Assembly (Hamilton Centre)

If you are interested in joining the lunch, please download the flyer here, or contact Community Relations on communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au  

Visiting artist/guest speaker Mirranda Burton

On 23 October 2015, Artist Mirranda Burton came to Tintern Schools to give a presentation to 8A, 8D and 8E. Mirranda talked to us all about her artistic journey, beginning from when she was quite young, to her present day work. She has worked many jobs during her life, such as an animator for Disney, but is now focusing on Printmaking as that is her passion.

I believe we all took away something great from her speech and were all very inspired. We appreciate all the time Mirranda spent with us and I think it’s safe to say everyone loved having her at Tintern. 

Key Dates

November

Saturday 14 Nov – ELC Open Morning, 10:30am–12:30pm

Monday 16 Nov  – Year 9 Maths Acceleration Program Parent Information Session, Tintern Schools, Lecture Theatre, 7.30pm–8.30pm 

Wednesday 18 Nov – Year 7 Parent Information Evening, 7.30pm–9.00pm

Sunday 22 Nov – Munch with the Musos, 10.00am–12.30pm , CM Wood Centre

Sunday 22 Nov – 5 Year Reunion for the Class of 2010, Royal Saxon 545 Church Street Richmond, 3:00pm–6:00pm 

Tuesday 24 Nov – Valedictory Dinner, Leonda, Hawthorn, 7:00pm–11:30pm

Wednesday 25 Nov – Year 8 Performing Arts Performance – ‘Move on Up. Get on Down’, CM Wood Centre, 7.30pm–9.30pm 
CM Wood Centre

Friday 4 Dec – Junior School End of Year Concert (Speech Night), CM Wood Centre, 7:30pm–9:30pm 

Monday 7 Dec – Southwood Junior School Speech Night, CM Wood Centre, 7:00pm–9:30pm 

Tuesday 8 Dec – Term 4 Finishes

Orientation Dates

Please click on the link below for our Orientation Dates 2015/16.

Orientation Dates 2015_16