From the Principal

Welcome to our new look newsletter, Aspectus. For a short guide to the various features of the newsletter, please watch the above video. 

Amazing students, amazing school!

This term we have achieved what we believe is a national first! In the National Mathematics Talent Quest, we have had two Tintern students win the National Championship! Ms Julie Tillyer, mathematics teacher, has worked in and for this competition for a number of years and was not certain that any one school had ever won two State Championships, but certain that no one school had ever won the National title in two year levels in the same year. Ashleigh Dowling (Year 7) and Gavin Choong (Year 9) were Tintern’s stars in this event and we congratulate them on their amazing achievements! To give this some scale, there were 500 State competitors!

Term 4 is a time when we reflect on achievements as we prepare for examinations and end of year assessments and prepare for the following year. Celebration Evening was a truly amazing night; showcasing the rich talents of our students in music, drama, the arts and academia and celebrating their contribution to our wonderful school in leadership, service and for just being themselves!

I was struck last Monday night by the richness and diversity of our community. We certainly want our students to do the absolute best they can academically, to open up as many opportunities as possible for themselves and to work towards being their best in everything they can do. However, we are about more than this and we value (and the 21^st Century world values) so much more than this. The richness and diversity I refer to above are not quantities measured by the NAPLAN, ICAS, PAT testing or in an examination. These are the areas where Tintern truly grows its students and they will be valued by astute 21^st Century employers, mentors and guides.

Over the last period of our Year 12s presence at our school, I have been struck by their ability to work together in a cohesive and collaborative way, aware of their own and others’ strengths and how to use them to the best effect. I have listened to our young men and women able to articulate their hopes for the world and themselves, clearly able to empathise with the feelings and needs of others. I have heard our students talk of their goals of service projects overseas, community service in Australia and helping the less fortunate. What lofty aims, and ones that demonstrate the leadership and service to the community we aspire to in our values-based community.

We wish our Year 12s, and any other students who may be leaving us in 2015, the very best of fortune in their future. We are confident that our Compass will guide them in their aims and goals, not just now, but for their lives and not just for them but for others and for their world. After all, that is what education really needs to be about!

Factis non Verbis

Sport Matters

Clean Sweep For Tintern Year 8 Girls

Tintern Year 8 Girls completed a clean sweep, winning all three premierships which were up for grabs in the EISM during Term 3! The Girls Badminton, Table Tennis and Football teams all finished in first place on the ladder, earning them each Premiership titles. A big congratulations goes out to the entire Year 8 Girls year level for a great season on the field. Thank you also to Mr Viney, Ms Meredith, Mrs Jurey and Mr McManus for coaching the teams.

by Lisa Rush, Sports Centre Assistant

Another win for Adam!

Adam Blazevic placed 8th in the A Grade Men’s competition finishing at the line with the 7th place finisher.

The A Grade Men’s race completed 11 laps of the 2.2 km track where Adam managed to achieve the second fastest lap for the day, only 3 seconds behind the fastest lap time. (According to Strava records). Another astounding effort for a modest Year 10 student in the elite men’s cycling competition. Please click here for further information.  

by Adam Klan, Outdoor Ed & PE

Congratulations Courtney!

Courtney Snowball came second in the state VSCC finals in Bendigo on Saturday. She was up against some pretty stiff competition and beat a top aged sponsored rider who she’s never been able to beat before, to bring home silver. The girl that won is also a sponsored rider so Courtney was in good company.

Courtney was also the second placed rider on aggregate over the series which is a great achievement.

House Swimming Carnivals 2015

Our Tintern House Swimming Carnivals will be held on Tuesday 20 October (Boys) and Wednesday 21 October (Girls) at Tintern Pool. Students will attend Period 1 as normal on each day before meeting at the pool after recess. Presentations should conclude around 3.25pm on each day. Girl’s classes will proceed as normal on Tuesday when the boys are swimming and boy’s classes will proceed as normal on the girl’s day.

The House Swimming Carnival is a normal school day for all students and sports staff have gone to great lengths to make the day as inclusive as possible for all students by including a range of novelty as well as traditional events. Board shorts, U.V tops and House colours are the order of the day.

Congratulations Gordon Grant!

Congratulations to all students in Gordon Grant for winning the House Cup for 2015. 

by Ross Jurey, Head of Sport

Music Matters

Year 9 student selected to perform in Grand Choral Concert

Gerard Barclay (Year 9) studies orchestral percussion at Tintern and we are delighted that he has been selected to perform as one of five percussionists in the Maroondah Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Carl Orff’s ‘Carmina Burana’ on Sunday 15 November at 2.30pm. Alongside the members of the orchestra will be no fewer than five choral groups in what promises to be a stirring program. The performance will take place at the George Wood Performing Arts Centre.

Many Middle School and Junior School girls will remember their experience last year singing this magnificent 20th century choral work at the Melbourne Recital Centre and can attest to the fact that hearing this work performed live is, indeed, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity not to be missed. Tickets for this concert may be purchased by visiting the Maroondah Symphony Orchestra’s website.

We congratulate Gerard on his selection and wish him all the best for his rehearsals and the performance next month.

Celebration Evening Music Makers

It would be remiss of me not to take a little space in the Newsletter this week to thank the Music Staff and all student musicians for their wonderful musical contributions to the success of Monday’s Celebration Evening. From the delightful prelude performers, the players of interlude music, to the Celebration Evening Orchestra, the Concert Choir and the cast of ‘Cabaret’ – your work was, without exception, polished and memorable for so many reasons. One of my favourite moments of the night was seeing and hearing our whole school community on stage in full flight, lifting the roof of the venue with their enthusiastic singing. I hope you enjoyed the final performances of the medley and the school songs as much as we enjoyed performing them for you.

Upcoming Music Events

Wednesday 21 October
Twilight Concert, 5.00pm
Kelson Room (Strings) and Area C, CM Wood Centre

A relaxed event where soloists air their pieces and small ensembles also share their wares.

Sunday 8 November
Maroondah Festival, Town Park, Croydon
Concert Band performs on Youth Stage, 10.30am
Saxophone Ensemble performs on Aurrum Stage, 2.00pm
Kelson String Quartet performs on Aurrum Stage, 2.20pm

Come along and support our student musicians performing in the local community!

Wednesday 18 November
Concert Band performs at Year 7 (2016) Information Evening, 7.30pm
CM Wood Centre

A great opportunity for new families to our school to hear the wonderful talents of our Middle School musicians.

Sunday 22 November
CM Wood Centre, 10.00am
Munch with the Musos

Another great musical and social event presented by our wonderful Friends of Music parent committee. Junior and Middle School students, members of staff and families get together to enjoy an array of delightful music and entertainment, with a touch of Christmas to add to the cheer and goodwill.

Melbourne Youth Music Summer School applications

Do something you love this summer!

Melbourne Youth Music has launched its 2016 Summer School. Bring your instrument and join more than 600 fellow musicians for a fun week of rehearsals, workshops and performances in the heart of Melbourne. The Summer School runs from January 11 to 16 and takes place at the Victorian College of the Arts.

Apply today: www.mym.org.au/summer-school-2016/

by Alison Bezaire, Director of Music

Community Matters

Welcome to Term 4

The Community groups and whole school community wish all our Year 12s good luck as they prepare for their final exams.

Tintern Rose

The Tintern Association has a limited supply of Tintern Roses for only $15. These make wonderful gifts for friends and families and currently are ready to bloom. Please call the Community Relations Office on 9845 7877 if you are interested.

Volunteer thank you evening Thursday 29 October 7.00 – 8.30pm

The Volunteer Thank You Evening will be held on Thursday 29 October at 7pm – 8.30pm. The school recognises that volunteers are an integral part of our Community and the whole school values your involvement and participation. Mr Bradley Fry warmly invites all our Tintern Schools volunteers to join him for drinks and nibbles in the CM Wood Common room.

Please RSVP for catering purposes before Tuesday 27 October.

2015 Spring Garden tour Friday 23 October

Our very popular 2015 Spring garden tour has now sold out. Thank you to everyone who has supported this event this year and we hope to see you on the tour next year.

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 in early November and Year 12 families will receive an email. All forms and notices will also be available from the school website and portal. The Book Sale organisers are looking for a limited number of 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 0418304020 or email joyashfield5@bigpond.com

Community Committee dates

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

Southwood Parents’ Club (SPC) – Next Meeting: Tuesday 10 November, 7.30pm
Please contact the Community Relations office for venue. President: Loraine Allender

Friends of Music (FOM) – Next Meeting: Tuesday 20 October, 7pm
CM Wood Common Room (*NB time change) – All Welcome. 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 21 October, 7.30pm
Kennedy Cottage – All Welcome. President: Kevin Jones

Past Students – Southwood Old  Boys Association (SOBA) President: Ivan Yeung

Tintern Old Girls Association (TOGA) President: Carol Robertson

FOM Munch with the Musos

Sunday 22 November: save this date for the next Munch with Musos, from 10am to 12.30pm.  This regular event is always eagerly anticipated – filled with music from our talented students, Christmas cheer and a whole lot of fun.  Booking details to be available shortly.  

Southwood Parents Club Mango Fundraiser

The Southwood Parents Club is again offering a Mango fundraiser for the end of year. Fresh North Queensland Mangoes direct from the farm to you! $25 per tray (estimated 7 kg weight with approximately 14-20 mangoes). Please return the order form to the Deb Quirk at the Boys Junior School Reception no later than Friday 30 October.

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”. 

Who is Mr Pyjamas…?

Who is Mr Pyjamas…?

He’s white and he’s got black and white on him – Callista, Early Learners

She’s got cute ears on him – Elin, Early Learners

Over there – Alexander, Early Learners

He crunches and munches the carrot – Chenchen, Early Learners

He has spots on his back – Jessica, Early Learners

He had a run around at my house on the holiday, ate apples and carrots – Aemon, Pre-Prep

He was a bit cheeky because he ate his paper – Orlando, Early Learners

But who is Mr Pyjama?!

Bunny!- Alexander, Early Learners

A bunny rabbit. I’m going to take him home – Ruby, Pre-Prep

The rabbit. I would like to bring him home. He will sleep at my house – Katherine, Pre-Prep

Celebrating our Early Learning Centre five years on!

Tintern Schools is celebrating nearly five years after the opening of our Early Learning Centre in February 2011. It has indeed been a wonderful time with so many exciting events and lots of learning. I stood there this morning looking into the classrooms, witnessing the many happy children arriving with their families. It is certainly not hard to see that the children feel valued and are known and ‘loved’ by the ELC team. The Centre is full of vibrant artwork, photos of the children and activities and projects the current children have completed over the year. In August 2014 the ELC had a visit from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and was assessed by the National Quality Framework Assessment and Rating Process  – we received the highest rating of ‘exceeding’ in the seven Quality Areas. A real testament to the quality teaching staff! 

Many parent/student orientations will be held next month. There has been a wonderful response with both Pre-Prep classes full for 2016. Interestingly, the balance of boys and girls is almost equal at the time of writing. We are still enrolling new students into the few remaining places in the 3 year old classes. A large number of current Tintern Schools’ parents have taken the opportunity to enrol their younger children into the ELC.

It has been a busy and rewarding time setting up the ELC over the years. The building itself has a unique layout. There are three classrooms inside, while the outside, designed by Mary Jeavons who specialises in early childhood settings, is considered as a fourth classroom. The cooling system meets the standards of environmental sustainability. Below the concrete floor slabs fresh air is trapped and pushed up through air vents and sensored window slats will open up during the evening to let in more cool air. Many have remarked on the attention to detail in the architectural design: low windows for child visibility, a light and open feel, and visibility for teachers to enable clear monitoring. Furthermore, the building is designed to fit into our bushland setting.  All of these elements and design features have proven to be very successful and certainly beneficial to creating a very positive vibe within the centre.

At Tintern Schools we are very proud of our Early Childhood program. It offers a mix of child-centred learning as well as teacher-directed learning where the children are exposed to our literacy and numeracy program. Upon completion of the Pre-Prep program children are very well prepared for their entry into Prep. We have two full 3 year old classes due to the excellent work of the staff. All credit goes to the wonderful hard working team, Amanda Cooke (as Coordinator), Wendy Oates, Lauren Ray, Robyn Hill, Shana Owen, Suzie Bissett, Tina Bettiol, Wapke Henson, Andrea Cantena and Emma Amory within the ELC.  I would also like to thank Mrs Mary Whitcher and Mrs Claire Macdonald, our girls and boys Prep teachers who have been working closely with the ELC staff to ensure that the children transition well into their Prep year.

So what’s on moving forward?  Due to the demand and interest in our beautiful school, we are now expanding our Pre-Prep classes to have full-time students in both classes, as well as some part-time students. This means that all classrooms are operating every day through the week. No doubt it will be another busy year ahead as we continue to refine and review our program. Most importantly, a distinct path for each girl and boy will continue to be our focus and what drives us into the future. 

by Anna Riddell, Head of Tintern Junior School and Tintern Schools Early Learning Centre

Responsibility and care

In our most recent Assembly, we spoke about Responsibility, using three examples that are lessons for us all.

Every year in October I am reminded of the wonderful story of the “World’s Greatest Air Race” for the MacRobertson Trophy, held in 1934.

Sir Macpherson Robertson was a renowned philanthropist (and owner of MacRobertson chocolates, later to be taken over by Cadburys), who sponsored many events including a world croquet tournament and an Antarctic exploration. To celebrate Melbourne’s Centenary, he sponsored the Air race from England to Australia. After two days of flying, the Uiver, a Douglas DC2 entered by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, was heading towards Melbourne when it hit a fierce thunderstorm, and subsequently lost radio contact, and its bearings.

The townsfolk of Albury were like millions around the world, and had been following the progress of the race. They were soon to realise that the sound of the plane circling above them was in fact the Uiver.

The mayor decided that the town would help the Uiver to find its bearings by flashing the name ALBURY in Morse Code, using all of the town’s lights.

Meanwhile, the local radio station appealed for those with cars to drive to the racecourse and light up a ‘runaway’, allowing the Uiver to land safely, which it did.

The next morning, the people of Albury flocked to the racecourse to not only see the Uiver, but to then pull it out of its bogged state, and send it on its way to the finish line in Melbourne…an amazing example of people helping one another.

We then spoke of another tragic incident, in which a 16 year old girl lost her life when the car in which she was travelling on the lap of a front seat passenger, as one of 9 occupants, lost control and hit a power pole in Mt Evelyn. With alcohol and speed allegedly a factor, we discussed responsibility, care of self and others, and how decision making and risk taking behaviours become a habit, and that habit is formed NOW though actions and consequences.

Finally, we watched a very brief video (above) that features a soccer game in 2003 between Denmark and Iran. Towards the end of the first half, a member of the crowd whistles, leading to an Iranian player thinking it is half time and picking up the ball in the penalty area. When the referee awards Denmark a penalty, the coach of Denmark instructs his player to deliberately miss the penalty, which he does. This led to an interesting discussion not only about integrity, and personal values, but about sportsmanship.

As always, our boys were reflective and mature with regard to their discussion and feedback.

by Adam Kenny, Head of Southwood and Boys Education

Farewelling our Year 12 boys

Our Southwood Prep-Year 12 Assembly last Friday provided us with an opportunity to thank, farewell and extend our best wishes to all of our Year 12 boys as they come to the end of their journey.

Our Year 12s are a wonderful team; they all have particular strengths, and complement each other. I have never walked past one of the boys without them giving a cheery greeting. They tackle their schooling with good humour, determination, and in the words of The Southwood Boy song, they aim to “Be The Best You Can Hope To Be”.

Through a journey of change, and a number of personal setbacks and challenges, the boys have been resilient and caring of one another.

Each of these boys is a credit to their families and our school, and wonderful role models to our other Southwood boys.

I thank every Year 12 boy and their families for their involvement in and support of our school, and for giving us the privilege of working with and caring for the boys.

It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to share in their journey from early childhood to manhood.

The respect and support that our Prep-Year 11 boys showed during the assembly, and towards each other every day, highlights that our boys are very special to us all, and such valuable and responsible members of Tintern Schools.

by Adam Kenny, Head of Southwood and Boys Education

Boys Junior School ICAS results

We have received notification from the University of New South Wales that Oscar De Jong (Year 6) is to be presented with a medal at an upcoming Awards ceremony, with his English ICAS result being one of the highest in the State.

Oscar also received High Distinctions in Science and Spelling, and Distinctions in Writing and Mathematics…fitting results reflecting Oscar’s work ethic, and academic prowess.

We extend our congratulations to the following boys for their outstanding results in the ICAS competitions:

Year 6

Adam Choong: Distinction, Spelling: Distinction, mathematics

Joshua Choong: Distinction, English; High Distinction, Science; Distinction, Writing; High Distinction, Mathematics.

Oscar De Jong: High Distinction, English; High Distinction, Science; High Distinction, Spelling; Distinction, Writing; Distinction, Mathematics.

Lochie Graham: Distinction, Mathematics

James Manson: Distinction, Mathematics

Cayden Paterson: Distinction, English; Distinction, Science; High Distinction, Mathematics

Year 5

Max Adam: High Distinction, English; Distinction, Mathematics.

Will Butterfield: Distinction, Mathematics

Krisshnaa Kannan: Distinction, Spelling

Lorcan McCrave: Distinction, Writing

Year 4

Bailey Hanna: Distinction, Science; Distinction, Writing

Max Lalor: Distinction, English; High Distinction, Science; High Distinction, Spelling; Distinction, Mathematics

Jakob Mazonowicz: Distinction, Science

Rafi Taylor: Distinction, English　

The breadth of boys, and the subjects in which they have achieved such outstanding success, is a credit to themselves and our school.

I congratulate every boy who participated in the ICAS competition this year, and especially mention our Year 3s, who for the first time participated in the challenging format and assessment that is ICAS!

by Adam Kenny, Head of Southwood and Boys Education

Handwriting and touch typing are both essential skills!

Handwriting in many schools is disappearing from classrooms. With the increasing use of computers in daily life, the role of handwriting is under debate, with some education policymakers believing it is a redundant practice that should be phased out and students taught typing instead.

Tintern Junior School explicitly teaches handwriting as well as touch typing.  We believe that both skills are crucial for students.  In many Australian states, longhand is still used in high school exams and is an essential skill. So in addition to learning handwriting we consider it important that the girls acquire ‘typing skills’ in an increasingly digital world.

Handwriting begins in the earliest years, in particular in our Pre-Prep year where children are taught to develop their fine motor skills through cutting, sticking and learning to hold a pencil correctly. In the Junior School students in Prep learn the correct posture, technique and formation for writing each letter. Through our very explicit program which is consistent from one year level to another the girls develop a fluent, legible and attractive handwriting style. The evidence is clear in each classroom where the girls take such pride in their presentation. The standard of the girls’ presentation is amazingly high!

In Tintern Junior School we never do anything in half measures!  Our Years 2 to 4 students also attend a weekly touch-typing computer class which is specifically designed for our girls to learn the fundamentals of good typing.  This program takes about two years to complete and enables our girls to gain confidence and expertise in using the keyboard. Amazingly this touch-typing skill is somewhat ignored and largely forgotten in today’s society.

With many discussions taking place regarding the Australian Curriculum, the handwriting/touch-typing debate seems to be increasingly topical… but our program has been in place for many years. Many of our old girls say that ‘the best thing they learnt in Junior School was to touch type and to learn to handwrite so beautifully.’ These are skills which should last them a lifetime!

by Anna Riddell, Head of Tintern Junior School and Tintern Schools Early Learning Centre

Learn to Swim Program (Prep – Year 2)

Your daughter will be taking part in a Learn to Swim Program to be held at the Tintern Pool. The lessons will follow the Swim and Survive program run by The Royal Life Saving Society of Australia, Victoria.  Fully accredited swim instructors from the Nunawading Swim School will conduct the lessons, with Ms Worland or class teachers in attendance.

Date:                         Monday 19 October – until Tuesday 27 October

Venue:                     Tintern Pool

Lesson Times:      8.45-9.15am Prep and Year 1
                                      9.15-9.45am Year 2                          

Prep and Year 1 students will walk to the pool at 8.30am to allow for adequate time to change before the 8.45am start time. Students who arrive at school after 8.30am need to go directly to the pool with a parent after signing in at the JS Office.

What to bring:                                 

• One-piece bathers (please purchase the Tintern Swimming bathers – this is a compulsory item)
• Swimming Cap (can be purchased from the Uniform shop and are provided in House Colours)
• Towel
• Plastic Bag (to put wet bathers in)
• Goggles (optional but highly recommended – please test them before our program begins)
• Spare underwear/socks in case these items get wet
• Thongs or sandals (to walk to and from the pool) 

Log Books

The Log Book is a personal record of achievement in the Swim and Survive Program and is required by all students

Prep: Log Books are purchased by the School on behalf of students in Prep

Year 1 & 2: Class teachers have been given a list of the students who have returned their Log Books at the completion of the 2014 program. If you are unsure please check with the class teacher before placing an order for a new Log Book. Log Books that are still at home are requested to be returned to School prior before Friday 16 October.

All students will be assessed by the Swim Instructors at the beginning of the program and placed into the most suitable group to match their ability to the level of challenge.

Parent help with changing and viewing swimming lessons

Any mothers who are able to assist with changing the girls in the female change room areas would be a great help.  Please speak to your daughter’s class teacher if you are interested. All parents are very welcome to attend the swimming program. If you are planning on attending we would ask if you observe the classes from the viewing area upstairs. 

Prep-Year 2 House Swimming Carnival Friday 30 October, 9.00-10.30am – Tintern Pool

The program cumulates with a House Swimming Carnival involving all Prep to Year 2 students in a series of fun tabloid events and swimming events. All parents and special friends are invited to come along to find out how to ‘wag the dog’s tail’ and other novelty events. Students are asked to bring a second towel in addition to their swimming gear for the day of the Carnival.

by Anna Riddell, Head of Tintern Junior School and Tintern Schools Early Learning Centre

Recycled Materials/Equipment Wanted

We are looking for a range of recycled, used and second hand items for ongoing use with art projects, activities and play.

Bike helmets – we have 5 great bikes but no helmets. We need small sizes in good and safe condition.

Construction materials – boxes, bottle tops, cardboard, tubes (no toilet rolls or egg cartons), wood scraps, ropes, pieces of hose, PVC pipe, buckets, dowel rods

Gumboots – a range of sizes needed for 3-5 year olds

Spare uniform track pants in small sizes (no jumpers please)

Baskets and storage containers in a range of sizes (flexi bucket like tubs are great)

Contact details

Important Junior School Reception Information 

• Junior School Reception
  (03) 9845 7826/57
• Facsimile
  (03) 9845 7712

ELC/Junior School Reception email   juniorschool@tintern.vic.edu.au

Absentee Hotline

• (03) 9845 7722 (between 8.00am – 9.00am)

Office Hours

• 8.00am – 4.00pm

Don’t forget to sign in and out (using the scanning machine) if you are not arriving / departing at normal school hours.  This is very important or you may receive a phone call to verify where your child is.

ELC Emergency contact

You can ring the Junior School Reception at any time. If the phone is busy, the phone call will automatically go through to the message bank and the staff will ring back once they are off the phone.

After School Care

To contact the After School Care staff between the hours of 3:00pm-6:00pm please call the After School Care landline or mobile.

After School Care Mobile:  0417 584 257 

After School Care Landline:  9845 7882

An update from the Head of Boys Middle School

Adolescence would have to be one of, if not the, most complicated and challenging stages of life. Not only are they grappling with the demands of school and the pressure they get from their teachers and parents to achieve to their maximum at all times, they are also going through the period of life where peer acceptance is at its absolute highest. How they look, what they wear, who they talk to, etc are all added pressures on young minds and with the increased use of social media and the immediate effect/impact this can have, it produces an environment that puts a very large amount of stress on young teenagers. Some teens have developed great coping mechanisms for what life throws at them whereas others are still trying to build up their defence system, their resilience, in order to help them deal with the pressures of being a teen.

Mental Health Week was from 4 – 10 October, with World Mental Health Day on 10 October. In our Pastoral Program we have discussed what mental health is with the boys and talked about how they can spot the signs of it in their friends, as well as look to get help themselves if they are struggling in some way. Below are a couple of links; one to a site that helps parents and other adults to understand mental health in teenagers, as well as a story from ABC iView that we watch in our Year 8 Pastoral Care session around the experiences of a boy similar to their age.

http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/mental_health_teenagers.html

Our Year 7s are busily preparing for their Night of the Notables which is on Tuesday 27 October. This is one of the really great events in Year 7 and is well worth coming along to see even if you don’t have a son in Year 7. Both the boys and girls are involved and they have been investigating a ‘Notable’ (someone they admire or respect) and will be taking on the persona of this person as well as displaying information about them. It is a great night that begins at 7:30pm.

The Year 9s have started to show their attempts to cook a meal for ‘mum and dad’ over the recent holidays and I must admit, from the video/photo evidence, it looks as though they have done a really good job! I haven’t heard of any food poisoning incidents or anything like that so I can assume that you are all ok! This is part of the ‘Becoming a man’ unit which we are currently running in our pastoral program which has also seen Cam McLellan from Open Corp come out and talk to the boys on financial literacy and the importance of making good choices with their finances, especially when young. Over the next few weeks we will have the boys learning to iron shirts, sew buttons, change car tyres, the difference between two and four stroke fuel, making lattes, learning etiquette and many other little life skills before focussing on exam study techniques for the end of year.

Recently in the Middle School we have received some very impressive results and recognition for some of our students, not just locally but also nationally. Gavin Choong of Year 9 entered into the Mathematical Association of Victoria’s Maths Talent Quest and was judged the best Year 9 individual project in Victoria. His project was then entered in the national completion and has just been announced as the winning project for Australia. We are also incredibly lucky to have Ashleigh Dowling in the Tintern Middle School who also won the Year 7 Individual Prize not just for Victoria but also for Australia. Never before have two students from the same school won at state level like Gavin and Ashleigh did, however to both win at the National level is amazing! Well done to both.

On Monday 12th we had our annual Celebration Evening which is an event to recognise the wonderful achievements of our students throughout the year as well as an opportunity to formally farewell our Year 12 cohort. It was a fantastic evening of musical performances, scenes from Cabaret, awards for students and a variety of different singing pieces including a mass singing event at the end.

Please be sure to think about mental health, not just in your children but in yourself as well. It is something that we need to recognise, to understand and to deal with if problems arise as a happy mind is a powerful mind.

by Brett Trollope, Head of Boys Middle School

Middle School Girls News

Welcome back to Term 4. With so many events taking place it’s hard to believe we are only two weeks in to term! Recently we have celebrated some wonderful achievements across our school.

Ashleigh Dowling (Year 7) has won the Best Year 7 Individual Project in Australia at the Maths Talent Quest for her Sierpinski Triangle project. This is an impressive achievement indeed! Additionally students have achieved outstanding results in the UNSW ICAS Mathematics Competition and during assembly last Friday were presented with their awards.

Celebration Evening

On Monday night we had the opportunity to farewell our Year 12 students as well as showcase and celebrate the achievements of our students at our annual Celebration Evening held at Robert Blackwood Hall. It was fantastic to reflect on some of the highlights, personal and group achievements this year and I know there are still many more to come. I would like to particularly congratulate Tara McAsey and Chloe Eckley who spoke about the Middle School highlights and all the girls who performed in ensembles/acts on stage. It was great to be a part of the massed singing item at the conclusion of the night. Congratulations also to students who were recipients of the Compass, Academic and Overall Excellence Awards. At our final assembly on Tuesday 9 December we will celebrate specifically our Middle School students and Year 9s will be able to reflect on their journey through the Middle School. 

Upcoming Events

Our Girls House Swimming Carnival is taking place next Wednesday 21 October at the Tintern Pool. It is always an enjoyable event and I look forward to seeing girls actively involved; whether it be swimming in an event, cheering on their teammates or assisting with officiating. Girls are encouraged to wear house colours but are reminded that materials that may ‘run’ or are fragile, such as streamers, are not allowed. Events run from 11am-3pm and parents are welcome to attend and support their daughters (please note it does get very noisy!)

We have a lot of upcoming Performing Arts events to look forward to with the Twilight Concert on Wednesday 21 October and the 9/10 Production ‘A Festival of Mysteries’ on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 October.

by Oriana Constable, Head of Tintern Middle School and Girls Education

Pastoral Program Update

Last term all Middle School girls took part in a Spelling Bee competition organised by our English Captains Chelci Cox and Trina Spinnler-Jenkins (Year 12). The girls thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to compete in teams of three, firstly against members of their form, then their year level and finally against other year levels. Congratulations to the winning Year 8 team!

Our Year 7s continue to work on their ‘significant person’ in preparation for the Night of the Notables. The event is taking place on Tuesday 27 October at 7.30pm. During their presentations students will take on the persona of their notable person and it is sure to be an entertaining and enjoyable night.

October 10 is Mental Health Awareness Day and this month we will be discussing various topics related to Mental Health with our Middle School girls. There is a strong focus on building resilience through ‘Mental Fitness’ and our Year 9s have been spending time working on ways to promote good mental fitness to Middle School students. This has included the creation of posters and even a few rap songs! The Black Dog Institute has a range of resources available to parents to help them to support their children. I would certainly encourage parents to take part in the eLearning modules ‘Building Resilience in Young People’ and ‘Understanding Mental Health’ available through the Black Dog Institute website 

Mental fitness is having a healthy and strong mind to allow you to handle the challenges and opportunities that life puts in front of you, without getting too worn out.

Being Mentally Fit helps you:

• Improve concentration and focus
• Handle stress more effectively
• Let go of grudges towards past mistakes
• Form stronger connections with people
• Enjoy a more fulfilling and happier life

It essentially means being on top of your game and getting the most out of life. http://www.biteback.org.au/mental-fitness/

https://www.youthbeyondblue.com/

http://au.reachout.com/

by Oriana Constable, Head of Tintern Middle School and Girls Education

Academic Challenge Day

Last week a select group of Year 8 students were invited to attend a Year 8 Academic Challenge day at Kingswood College. This exciting opportunity provided space for our students to join students from other schools such as Scotch College, Yarra Valley, and Camberwell Girls to name a few. The students were placed in mixed groups where they were able to wrestle with different academic challenges in the areas of Poetry, Art, impromptu public speaking, Mathematics, Engineering and Philosophy.  The students greatly enjoyed the opportunity to engage with other like-minded students and grapple with some very complex tasks. The organisers of the day made sure that there was plenty of fun to be had as well. I was delighted with how our young women and men engaged with the students from the other schools, and enjoyed collaborating with each other, drawing on their strengths to try to achieve first place. All participants represented the school to a high level, and in particular I am delighted to note that Eddie Yu was awarded most effective impromptu public speaker and Olivia Adkins and Jasmin Liew placed first with their team in the overall result! A wonderful result and testament to the calibre of our Year 8 students. Well done to all!

by Liz Cutter, Year 8 Girls Level Co-ordinator

Farewelling our Year 12 Girls

On Wednesday our Prep-Year 12 Girls and staff joined together for a wonderful assembly to recognise, congratulate and celebrate the Year 12 Girls as they come to the end of their school journey. During the assembly we heard reflections from Erin Jones, Bella Smith and Rachel Rees about their experiences at Tintern and we enjoyed looking at a slideshow that showcased 13 years of memories. Our Prep, Year 1 and Year 2 girls presented the Year 12 girls with a card and our Junior School Captains Holly Whitfield and Alana Lawson spoke on behalf of the Junior School in wishing the Year 12s the best for their exams and future. Prior to our girls singing their School song, Mrs Naomi Baulch (Head of Geography and Tintern ‘Old Girl’) spoke with great passion about what the School song and motto ‘Deeds not Words’ means to her. Her speech is below: 

When Ms Constable suggested that I introduce the school song, she asked me to reflect on what the school motto and song mean to me as an “old girl”.

For me, Factis non Verbis is almost a mantra for living. I believe it means that rather than just being a spectator or commentator on life, you step up to the challenges and enjoy life to the full. Words are flippant, given easily and often without consequence. Deeds are proven application. If you see something that needs to be done, be the person to take meaningful action.

The school song represents everything strong, powerful young women stand for. It’s a sense of community, while you are at school and all the years past that, believing in yourself, knowing that others have done it before you and understanding that with hard work there is nothing you can’t achieve. To me it’s a song that encourages forward thinking and challenges every girl to be the best they can be, to strive for excellence and believe in oneself. It’s also a song about pride in the history you are a part of and the futures you are going to create.

I’m north of 40, so next year will be 25 years since I left school! In that time over 2000 Year 12 girls have graduated and sung this song. Believe me this is not the last time! You will sing this at every reunion, gathering, 21st, engagement, wedding, baptism and sometimes sadly even at funerals. The school song is the link that ties us as generations of Tintern Girls across time and space.

So sing it with pride girls and go out into the world as participators, not spectators.

by Naomi Baulch, Head of Geography

Senior College News

The Year 10 students presented their House Community Action Project (House CAP) during the last week of Term 3 to a Year 9 student audience. The winning House was Somner-Stewart and points were awarded for the quality of the videos, formal presentations and the way in which students worked together showing such skills as team work, organisation and initiative.

Metec Driving and First Aid Courses

Applications from students wishing to participate in the optional METEC Driving Course and the Level 2 First Aid course at the end of the year are required to submit their forms into Reception by Friday 16 October.

Practice Exams

Practice examinations were held for students undertaking a Unit 3 and 4 course of study and Year 12 IB students in the second week of the holidays. This was a valuable opportunity for students to refine their examination technique and to gain an understanding about their strengths and weaknesses. This feedback is imperative so that students can target areas requiring further consolidation in the final weeks of classes. A reminder for Year 12 families that scholarship applications and supporting documentation via VTAC are due on Friday 16 October at 5.00pm and that the final day for all Year 12 students is Tuesday 20 October.

Ace Your Exams

Year 10 students participated in the Elevate Education ‘Ace Your Exams’ workshop on Thursday 8 October. The student feedback was most positive about the content and delivery style from the young presenters. Material included common mistakes in examination preparation, the 7 steps for preparation excellence and the 3 steps to examination room excellence.

Latest Edition of CareerNews

CareerNews Number 15 is now available within the Year Level tabs of the Senior College Portal pages and includes Year 12 and University of Melbourne news, pathway options for Year 12 students into desired courses, scholarship opportunities, La Trobe Engineering and the Ambassador Program at Monash University information.

by Heather Ruckert, Acting Head of Senior College

Senior Art Exhibition opening

The Tintern Senior Art Exhibition Official Opening took place on Thursday 15 October, the warmest night we have had in many years! Ms Mirranda Burton, award winning printmaker and illustrator, presented an inspiring speech about the role that art plays in society and the importance of initiating conversation and making change through creative thinking. Following this, the 2015 Art Captains, Kathryn Spinnler-Jenkins, Kristen Isbel and Isabella Smith, shared their creative journey with guests. The exhibition was then officially declared open by our Principal, Mr Brad Fry.

The exhibition is open 8.30am – 4.00pm until Thursday 5 November.

by Amanda Atchison, Visual Arts Teacher

La Trobe University Young Writers’ Awards

Eliza Harvey’s (Year 10) entry into the La Trobe University Young Writers’ Awards entitled, ‘Australia’ has been shortlisted in the top 10. An Awards’ Night on Tuesday 27 October at La Trobe University, will celebrate each top 10 entry and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winners will be announced.

During the Awards’ Night each top 10 entrant will be invited to read a short extract from their entry to the audience. Congratulations Eliza!

Celebration Evening

On Monday 12 October the Tintern Schools Celebration Evening was held at the Robert Blackwood Hall, Monash University, Clayton.

The evening was a wonderful celebration of the many achievements of our students across 2015. The evening commenced with prelude music from ‘The Lucky Ones’ , ‘House of Dreams’ and ‘Prismatic’, all bands who performed at our Battle of the Bands in Term 3. 

We witnessed outstanding performances from the Tintern Schools Combined Orchestra, who performed The Magic Island by Paul Stanhope; the Tintern Schools Concert Choir, who performed Where Everything is Music by Kathryn Sadler; a reprise from Cabaret, which was staged in Term 1 to packed audiences; the Hillier Flute Ensemble; the Saxophone Ensemble and our Years 7 – 12 students performed a rousing rendition of The Sixies: Music that Rocked The World.  A highlight was the Year 12 Leaving Song, with lyrics by Alfred Kouris and Bailey Pyman. You can watch this performance in the video above. 

I would like to again congratulate our many Compass, Academic Excellence and Overall Excellence prize winners across Years 7 to 11, as well as the Year 12 subject prize winners, all of whose names appeared in the Celebration Evening program.

We now take the opportunity to list below the recipients of Special School Awards who were announced on the evening, but do not appear in the program as they are traditionally kept secret until the evening. Congratulations to the following students (Year 12 unless indicated):

• The June Ward Trophy for Commitment to Girls Sport – Nicole Davis
• The Pinnacle Trophy for Commitment to Boys Sport – Brendon Green
• The Sylvia Walton Trophy for Excellence in Sport – Madeleine Wright (Year 11)
• The Mei Lyn Wong Award for the School Dux of 2014 – Moya Zhang
• The Elizabeth Ann Walker Art Encouragement Award – Ella Upe (Year 11)
• Young Farmers’ Awards – Stephanie McDonald
• The Friends of Young Farmers Award (The David Wilkinson Award) – Maya Watt (Year 10)
• The Marisa Sibson Award – Bill Chen (Year 11)
• The Lyn Bartold Performing Arts Awards – Bailey Pyman and Zoe Stephenson
• The Friends of Music Awards – Brendon Green and Eunice Tang
• The Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Awards – Daisy McMillan (Year 10) and Alfred Kouris
• The Caltex Best All-Rounder Award – Erin Jones
• The Wendy McComas Award – Maddison Read
• The International Students’ Award – Arthur Wong
• The Southwood Parents Club Award – Bailey Pyman
• The Tintern Association Award – Chase Young
• School Awards – Jessie Ashfield, Ananda Chu, Brendon Green, Stephanie McDonald, Matthew Wakeley, Nicholas Walton and Zoe Zhang
• Chairman’s Award – Eunice Tang
• School Captains’ Awards – Alfred Kouris and Rachael Sheehan
• Sylvia Walton Award – Alfred Kouris

by Geoff Connor, Vice Principal – Administration and Students 

Valedictory Service

On Friday 16 October, for only the second time, the entire school community gathered together to farewell our Year 12 young men and women at the Valedictory Service.

Not only was this a special occasion to pause and reflect on the contribution of our Year 12 students, the community was also introduced to our incoming Chaplain, Reverend Alison Andrew-Smith, who will be joining us at the commencement of 2016.

Father Stewart Taplin performed a Transition Liturgy for Reverend Alison Andrew-Smith, presenting her with a number of symbolic gifts on behalf of the school.

Mr Fry spoke to the metaphor of gum trees, introducing the eucalypt seedling as young and fragile – rather like our ELC and Prep students, but who grow into mature trees – like our graduating Year 12s. “Our students are like the eucalypt; vulnerable when young and underdeveloped but even more resilient than we might imagine, growing progressively as saplings, bending and giving way before the adolescent forces of Hamlet’s ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’, like the winds of a hurricane but afterwards not only still standing, but stronger and more resilient.”

As a symbol, our Year 12 students were presented with a eucalypt seedling by our Prep students. They were urged to take the seedling home and plant it in their back yard so that they may watch it grow and remember in times of difficulty the foundation that Tintern provided them.

Two Tintern students take out National Maths prize

Gavin Choong (Year 9) and Ashleigh Dowling (Year 7) have each won the overall prize for their year level in the National Maths Talent Quest.

Ashleigh Dowling won the Best Year 7 Individual Project in Australia at the Maths Talent Quest for her Sierpinski Triangle project which drew widespread excitement among the judges. 

Gavin Choong won joint best Year 9 Individual Project in Australia for his novel, Alice in f(x). It is a beautiful story and includes lots of maths.

Both Ashleigh and Gavin won the Victorian state prize for their projects. We do not believe any school has ever had two students both win state prizes, let alone winning the overall National Maths Talent Quest!

Maths Talent Quest encourages students to look at real life situations and find that mathematics is everywhere. The Maths Talent Quest allows students to investigate mathematics on an individual, group or class basis with the opportunity to have fun exploring mathematics.

 First held in 1982, the Maths Talent Quest (MTQ) is an annual activity open to all primary and secondary students. This year there were over 550 entries from Victoria.

The maths program at Tintern is incredibly strong and we are fortunate to be blessed with a number of inspiring teachers who are engaging their students in cutting edge Mathematics. In particular, Ms Tillyer is to be commended on her work in mentoring the students in the Maths Talent Quest.

Ashleigh and Gavin will be presented with their medals at a special ceremony in the coming weeks. Congratulations to them both! Below they have written in further detail about their projects and winning this prestigious competition. 

GAVIN CHOONG

For my Math Talent Quest project, I wrote a story called ‘Alice in f(x)’ which was inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland novel. The story is about a young girl called Alice who was orphaned at a young age, and, through math, attempts to try and get her parents back. The story covers a variety of mathematical functions, proofs and formulae; from calculating maximum volumes to finding the formula for the nth Fibonacci term. 

When I received the email that I won the National prize, I was completely shocked! I verified with my teachers and at that point, I felt very excited and happy. At the same time, I was extremely grateful towards the teachers who organised the event and gave me the opportunity to enter; namely, Ms Julie Tillyer and Mrs Anthea Watkins and I thanked them after hearing about my project’s success.

I enjoy math because it is a useful subject and relates to everyday life. In the future, I would like to combine my interests for mathematics with my passion for physics (specifically, Astrophysics) and possibly make new discoveries and advancements for the human race.

ASHLEIGH DOWLING

My project was based on the mathematics behind the famous fractal, Sierpinski’s Triangle. My goal was to devise a set of formulae to determine the number of triangles that made up Sierpinski’s Triangles at different stages. I managed to achieve this goal.

When I found out that I had won the state round of judging, I was shocked and excited. But winning the national competition was something that I never could have imagined and I am greatly honoured and thrilled.

Maths is a passion of mine, and I love the sense of satisfaction after solving a difficult problem. I particularly enjoy looking at patterns and the relationships between all different aspects of mathematics, which never fail to astound me.  

Curriculum Matters

After Celebration Evening, where we acknowledge the achievements of students who have taken on the challenges and opportunities afforded to them and excelled, it is timely to recognise the wealth of academic achievement that occurs all year round across our school.

Across Term 2 and 3 a variety of girls and boys from Years 3 – 12 took part in University of NSW International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) competitions. In Years 7-9 most students are entered and in other year levels smaller groups of selected students are entered and these students compete against students from schools across Australia. Every year students from Tintern Schools achieve outstanding results, which reflect the talent of the students and quality learning that goes on here.

In this year’s Mathematics, English and Science competitions we had 17 students achieve High Distinctions, which are awarded only to the top 1% of participants. There were a staggering 120 Distinctions, which are awarded only to the top 10% across the nation. In fact, when the certificates were presented to the secondary students for the Mathematics competition earlier this term, we could barely fit them all on the stage!  

The standout performance was in our boys Junior School, where Grade 6 student Oscar De Jong won the medal for the top English student in the state for his year level. A fantastic achievement! This year over 980,000 entries were received in all ICAS competitions but only 514 students in Australia were awarded medals for their outstanding achievement. Congratulations to all of these high achievers! For further details, please see the article in this edition of Aspectus by our secondary Head of Mathematics, Mr Gary Collins.

Another opportunity that our secondary Mathematics Department entered students into this year was the Maths Talent Quest, run by the Mathematics Association of Victoria. Astonishingly for one school, two of our students topped the nation. Ashleigh Dowling of Year 7 and Gavin Choong of Year 9. Ms Julie Tillyer co-ordinated our entries in a competition that involves students undertaking an investigation or inquiry into mathematical questions they formulate themselves. In other Mathematics news, three Year 8 students, Ron Chen, Reilly Collins and Eddie Yu, were received Certificates of Merit for their outstanding individual achievements in the University of Melbourne School Mathematics Competition.

Whilst we are proud of our student’s achievements in such competitions, our school is not only about celebrating those who win or top a ranking. For us, every student who strives for their personal best and who meets, and sometimes exceeds, their best is indeed a winner worthy of celebration. This can only occur through the support of our excellent teachers and a student’s hard work, drive and a mindset that seeks every opportunity to grow and learn, especially through challenge, hardship and set-backs.

With our Year 12 students nearing the end of their secondary schooling, we wish them all the best as they seek to stretch themselves out beyond their best in their final exams. Similarly, our Year 10 and 11 students are nearing their semester examinations and another opportunity to test themselves, practise their study skills and look to produce their best in each subject. Our Year 9 students will also be sitting their first examinations in English, Science and Mathematics as they live out the Year 9 theme of Challenge right to the end of the year.

While our school is about so much more than academic high achievement, it is important to recognise the wonderful moment when talent is realised to its fullest extent by hard work, in every aspect of our well-rounded education.

by Jason McManus, Vice Principal – Curriculum, Reporting, Assessment and Innovation

Young Farmers win swag of awards at Melbourne Show

Tintern Young Farmers achieved outstanding success at the Royal Melbourne Show. For only the second time in the past 20 years, Tintern won the much converted schools competition trophy. This challenging competition judges the students both individuals and collectively over a four day period. Our students were acknowledged for their impressive contributions as a team, assisting the public and helping other sheep breeders. The students and staff were delighted to achieve this accolade. 

In competition with over 100 other school students, Tintern achieved outstanding individual results as follows. 

• Stephanie McDonald won first place in both senior handling and the senior junior judging section. 
• Daisy McMillan achieved first in the senior long wool judging.
• Amy Taylor won first in the long wool judging and first overall for junior judging. 
• Olivia Cross won first in the junior handling and two second places in the meat and wool junior judging. 
• Ashley Cross won first in short wool judging , third in the long wool judging and fourth in the junior handling.

Tintern also won the best maintained team in this competition. 

A huge thanks to Gavin Wall, Liz Wall and Liz Cutter for their ongoing support and efforts with our Young Farmers. We are currently away competing at Royal Geelong show this weekend. Hopefully we will see just as many blue ribbons this show! Go Tintern!

by Mrs Grochowska, Year 7 Coordinator 

The University of Melbourne Mathematics Competition

On Saturday 10 October at the University of Melbourne, three Year 8 students, Ron Chen, Reilly Collins and Eddie Yu, were formally presented with Certificates of Merit for their outstanding individual achievements in the University of Melbourne School Mathematics Competition. As acknowledged at this ceremony, “in the traditional sense of the word, this competition is unashamedly elitist”. Only the most highly talented mathematical students are invited to participate. It attempts to identify, reward and encourage high mathematical talent among the school population. During the opening welcome from Prof Tony Guttmann, he congratulated all prize winners on their achievement “as only the most able contestants are successful at this level.” Some of this year’s recipients have also competed successfully internationally in similar competitions. The 2 hour competition is of a demanding standard, designed to identify real mathematical talent. Of the approximate 1500 students in the Junior Division who entered, only 50 are awarded prizes, placing our three boys in this prestigious category and follows on from successes last year by both Ron Chen and Holly Fryer who each received Certificates of Merit and in 2013 by Alan Wu who received an Outstanding Award.

On behalf of the school, I would like to congratulate Ron, Reilly and Eddie for their excellent achievement.

by Gary Collins, Head of Mathematics and Anthea Watkins, Horizon Program Coordinator

The UNSW ICAS Mathematics Competition 2015

The International Competition and Assessment for Schools (ICAS) Mathematics Competition run by the University of New South Wales is an annual competition participated by students from Australia and 20 countries globally. Tintern Schools had students from Year 7 to 12 take part and some exceptionally commendable results were obtained: 5 Certificates of High Distinction (top 1%), 42 Certificates of Distinctions (top 10%), and 81 Certificates of Credit (top 30%). All students 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 processes and progress compared to any 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 results were as follows:

YEAR 7

HIGH DISTINCTION: Ashleigh Dowling

DISTINCTIONS: Matthew Xu, Clarisse Liew, Angelina Tully, Amanda Samarasekara, Natalie Owen, Alexey Khmelevskiy

YEAR 8

HIGH DISTINCTION: Reilly Collins, Ron Chen

DISTINCTIONS: Nicolani Susanto, James Harvey, Alex Cheriyan, Jared Nottle, Arshi Mohammed, Ryan Hem, Jocelyn Ch’ng, Jasmin Liew, Sophie Glasson, Aidyn Malojer, Brayden Stokes, Kimberley Maher, Carla Di Pierro, Daniel Boss and Shayaki Niranjan.

YEAR 9

HIGH DISTINCTION: Gavin Choong

DISTINCTIONS: Daniella Cosentino, Rita Chen, Ruby Wensor, Rosemary Addison, Peter Cobb, Holly Fryer, Annie Zhao, Victor Tran, Kevin Xu, Ashleigh Harrison and Maria Ruan.

YEAR 10

DISTINCTIONS: Madi Jones, Josephine Owen, Edward Wang, Alison Yang, Brittany Read, and Jessica Zhu.

YEAR 11

HIGH DISTINCTIONS: Corey Robinson

DISTINCTIONS: Anna Harvey and Simon Pywell.

YEAR 12

DISTINCTION: Victoria Dai and Peter Liu.

Congratulations to all students who participated in this year’s Competition!

by Gary Collins, Head of Mathematics

Our Leaders for 2016

Leadership is a very important part of the educational journey for our young men and women at Tintern Schools. The Senior Student Leadership teams for 2015 have been very positive groups to work with and their ideas and passion for the school will have a positive influence for many years to come.

It gave me great pleasure to formally acknowledge the work of the 2015 School, House, International and Co-curricular Leaders at Celebration Evening on Monday 12 October and to then announce the 2016 Senior Student Leadership teams.

Firstly, the House Captains for 2016 are –

Butterss/Cross: Isabella Cosentino, Joshua Coulson, Harry Dettmann and Meredith Wykes;

Dann/Watt: Alex Dillon, Aaron Drew, Cassie Jones and Lydija-Maree Sango;

Gordon/Grant: Dillon Bettess, Nicholas Elliott, Sheridan van Gelderen and Ali Woodall; 

Mansfield/McKie: Emma Astin; Gary Haasbroek; Jake Hill and Tamara Molnar

Somner/Stewart: Madison Button; Jack Church; Sarah Lloyd and Connor Reidy  

the International Student Leaders for 2016 are: Bill Chen & Fei Wang;

the School Leaders for 2016 are: Anjali Lobo, Heidi Ruckert, Sam Sharwood and Rory Shephard

the School Vice-Captains are: Rachael Merritt and Ryan Tierney

and, the School Captains are: Michael D’Addazio and Genevieve Barclay

On behalf of all members of the School community, I congratulate next year’s House, International and School Leaders on their election to these positions and I wish them all a most successful year of leadership ahead of them. Our Co-curricular Leaders for 2016 will be finalised and announced by the end of November.

by Geoff Connor, Vice Principal – Administration & Students

Cybersafety Information for Families

The rate at which new social media platforms are being created can be overwhelming for parents to keep up with, and new options are being created every day. The table below is a guideline of current social media and a description. We have also included the age guidelines for using the technology, but advise parents to make their own determinations on what is suitable for their child.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and parents are encouraged to speak frequently with their children regarding their social media use.

What to do as a parent?

We are encouraging all parents to:

•  Discuss social media with your child. Find out what apps and websites they are using. Make sure to research these and decide what you believe is appropriate for their use.

•  Make sure your child is aware that what is posted on the internet, stays on the internet. Today’s children are growing up in a very public way and may not be aware that the posts they make, pictures they send and questions they ask will always be available.

•  Make sure your children know that the real world and digital world have the same sets of rules. Let them know that what they say on the internet is the same as saying it directly to someone.

There are a range of resources available for parents that you may find helpful:

http://www.connectsafely.org/

http://www.bewebsmart.com/

https://esafety.gov.au/

We regularly discuss cybersafety with our students at Tintern Schools. Our pastoral programs regularly look at issues surrounding the internet and using the various social media platforms safely.

If there are ever any concerns regarding cybersafety, we encourage families to immediately contact either the pastoral teacher, Year Level Coordinator, Head of School or the Principal directly – principal@tintern.vic.edu.au.

A closer look at Instagram

Teens love Instagram as it allows them to capture photos and videos and share it amongst their friends and followers. Instagram is easy to use, and photos can be cropped, enhanced and shared.

As with all social media, parents may worry about their children using Instagram. But, the main risks are typical of all social media: mean behaviour amongst peers and inappropriate photos that may attract the wrong kind of attention. 

Parents can help their children stay on Instagram by encouraging them to be respectful of themselves and others. Remind them that their posts reflect on themselves and that what is placed on Instagram is there forever.

Interested parents can read further information here:

http://www.connectsafely.org/a-parents-guide-to-instagram/

A closer look at Snapchat

Snapchat is a photo messaging app that allows users to take photos and videos, add text and drawings, before sending it to recipients. The message is only viewable for a short period of time before it disappears.

Whilst they say that messages are deleted – these images are stored and can be retrieved. Recipients can also take a screen shot of the images that have been sent to them.

Again, whilst there is nothing necessarily risky about Snapchat, it is in how the service is used. Snapchat has gained media attention as the “sexting” app and whilst it can be used for this and harassment, Snapchat is typically used amongst friends to send images to. Because the photos disappear, some can have a false sense of security in using Snapchat.

If your child is using Snapchat, we encourage you to talk with them about responsible use of social media.

Interested parents can read further information here:

http://www.connectsafely.org/a-parents-guide-to-snapchat/

Miranda Dickinson (YG2011) – a future in Fashion Design

Miranda is currently in her honours year of fashion design at RMIT University, and was selected among 25 students to be involved in Melbourne Spring Fashion Week. It was held on the 30 August, and the event was put on by the City of Melbourne. Miranda received a lot of publicity from the event and was featured on the daily mail.

Above are some examples of Miranda’s graduate collection “Guepe”. Guepe (bug in french) draws metallic colours and surface textures from the secret world that exists under the microscope, focusing on a southern french wasp; the cuckoo. The use of fur encased in lazer cut patterns represent the tiny hairs that give the insect feeling, stemming from a collaboration with an entomology research lab. The fashion industry are constantly on the search for creating artificial beauty, when nature’s overlooked precious gifts are an undiscovered beauty that has already been provided to us. Miranda wanted to expose the microscopic world in all its glory, through a textile manipulated collection of elaborated details and metallic colours.

Tintern’s new Board Members

Jessica Davies

As a former Tintern student, and now a parent of a daughter in Year 2, Jessica Davies is looking forward to giving back to the Tintern community through her appointment to the Board. Professionally she has completed a Bachelor of Geomatic Engineering, Bachelor of Computer Science and a PhD in location based services (completed at a time before everyone had maps on their mobile phones). She has worked as a spatial solutions consultant (in Business Analyst and Project Management roles) over the last decade, and these skills have proved valuable to the House and Grounds Committee which she joined this year. She has also held leadership positions in industry organisations and is currently acting as a mentor to girls participating in the ‘TechGirls are Superheroes’ program. Grateful for the sense of community, exposure to a range of interests and the subsequent empowerment to pursue one’s own interests which were instilled during her days as a Tintern student, Jessica would like to see these aspects continue to be promoted to current students.

Mike Blood

Michael is married to Stephanie and recently became a grandfather. He has been in education throughout his working life teaching across both primary and secondary levels. He has taught in single gender and coeducational settings. His teaching methods are Mathematics, History and Physical Education. His passion is in design and working with wood. Work in independent schools began in 1981 at Caulfield Grammar as a foundation staff member at the Wheelers Hill campus where he was responsible for the setting up of the sports program for both boys and girls.

Tintern figures significantly in Michael’s life. In 1985 Michael began at Tintern as Year 7 Coordinator and over the next fifteen years took on a number of senior leadership roles culminating in being appointed as the foundation Head of Campus for Southwood Boys Grammar School in 1998. He continued with this role through until 2006. Upon departure, after 22 years of service, Michael was approached by St Margaret’s School in Berwick to set up a second campus for boys: Berwick Grammar School. Michael worked with the school in both administrative and teaching roles.

Michael believes that education is fundamental to the orderly operation of society and on an individual basis, to a meaningful and compassionate life. Education should be broad in outlook and provide opportunities for all to flourish.

Key Dates – Term 4 2015

October

Saturday 17 Oct –  Year Groups 1975, 1970, 1965, 1960, 1955 for the 40, 45, 50, 55 & 60 School Reunions, 11:30am–3:00pm, CM Wood Centre

Wednesday 21 Oct – Twilight Concert (Years 7-12), 5:00pm–6:15pm, Kelson Room

Thursday 22 Oct – Twilight Tour, 5:00pm–7:00pm

Thurs & Fri 22 & 23 Oct – Year 9 and 10 Production of ‘A Festival of Mysteries’, 7:30pm–9:00pm, CM Wood Centre

Friday 23 Oct – Tintern Spring Garden Tour, 9:00am–3:00pm

Wednesday 28 Oct – Principal’s Forum, 7.30pm – 9.30pm, Lecture Theatre

November

Monday 2 Nov – Mid Term Break

Tuesday 3 Nov – Melbourne Cup Day – Public Holiday

Sunday 8 Nov – Maroondah Festival, Town Park, Croydon, Concert Band performs on Youth Stage, 10.30am, Saxophone Ensemble performs on Aurrum Stage, 2.00pm, Kelson String Quartet performs on Aurrum Stage, 2.20pm

Monday 9 Nov – Parent Information Evening – ELC 3 & 4 Year old, Tintern Schools, Early Learning Centre 7.00pm–8.00pm 

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

Tintern Charter Buses

Charter Bus Brochures and Application Forms for 2016 will be sent via email in late October.

If your child is not currently registered on a Charter Bus and you would like to be added to the mailing list please contact the Transport Officer on 9845 7892 or email transport@tintern.vic.edu.au

Feedback to the Board

If you have any feedback you would like to share with the School Board, please email board@tintern.vic.edu.au