From the Principal

The Power of the Student Voice

I am still occasionally surprised by the wisdom, maturity and confidence of Tintern Grammar students. I wrote last term of the eight students who facilitated, to great effect, the staff Professional Learning session on ways to bring our boys and girls together more effectively for Year 10 in the Senior College. Their support for our gender-separate model in the Middle Schools was very strong, but like the staff, they see that particularly the early weeks and months of Year 10 are a period of adjustment in and out of class as students move from the parallel environments of the Middle School into a fully co-educational one in Senior College.

They offered thoughtful and considered ideas they felt the School could consider to smooth that coming together and the staff engaged with their ideas with enthusiasm. After listening to their ideas, I felt we ought to explore them further and late last term, I put these questions to our Senior College Student Representative Council (SRC).

The SRC’s responses were based on only a short period of consideration, but their key conclusion was very significant; they felt we needed to create opportunities to bring boys and girls together in Middle School through things they had in common – to join them by shared interests, views or passions, rather than to force them together arbitrarily for co-education’s sake. They cited the School’s music and drama programs, together with some House sport and performance activities as examples of this, where students work easily together and they felt these opportunities prepared them well for Senior College. The hindrance is that unfortunately, some students do few if any of these activities.

When asked what they thought we should start doing, they put forward a number of very positive ideas (interestingly, I’m not sure all which would have necessarily come from staff answering the same question). For instance, they felt that the end of year Transition Period for Year 9 particularly should be significantly longer – ideally two full weeks, although they could also see the conflict with the final Year 9 camp, which they were also advocates of! They also supported the consideration of House sport festivals, for instance a House Summer sport day, and another for winter sports, where boys and girls compete with a House identity in common, although still directly against their own gender.

Interestingly, in the classroom domain, they honed in immediately on the Year 8/9 Electives offerings. They could see that this would link boys and girls for a small portion of the timetable through common interest in hospitality, building a PC, cooking, art or commerce. They also made the point that many more students would get their preferred choices if we did this, as a greater range of electives would be available for all Year 8 and 9 students – and certainly these are true.

I asked that they take these and several other ideas back to students and parents to seek other views. I am meeting with them again this week to hear the results of these informal focus groups and I will be very interested to hear their reflections on the views of their fellow students and their families.

The student voice is a powerful one – our young women and men are the ones living the student experience, not us – and it is important that authentic opportunities are provided for its expression. Given the maturity and thought apparent in students’ responses, their input can only add to the effective collaboration that must be present in a contemporary, high quality school experience.

Factis non verbis

Bradley Fry
Principal

Please view the Video Blog below from our Principal, Mr Bradley Fry.

Anna Harvey (Class of 2016)

Anna Harvey (Class of 2016)

Photo (L to R): Professor George Simon (Deputy Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University), Anna Harvey (Class of 2016) and Mr Bradley Fry (Tintern Grammar Principal)

Congratulations to Anna Harvey, who graduated from Tintern last year and has been awarded an Engineering Scholarship to Monash University.

Joyce Rowlands (Class of 1949)

Joyce Rowlands (Class of 1949)

Joyce Rowlands, year group 1949, recently won a gold medal in the 2016 Mountain Bike Orienteering World Masters held in Anglesea last year. She rode in 3 races; the long, the middle and sprint distances.

Joyce, along with her friend Graeme, were thrilled to be recognised as the oldest competing Orienteering cyclists in the World Master Series for 2016.

Congratulations Joyce!

Louise Hearman (Class of 1981)

Louise Hearman (Class of 1981)

This exhibition is the first major museum survey of Australian painter Louise Hearman, year group 1981, featuring painting and drawings from across her more than 25-year practice.
The Melbourne-based artist is best known for her dark dream-like paintings where things are never quite as they seem. It is up to us to imagine what is glimmering in the half-light or lurking deep in the shadows, as the artist offers no written clues to the evocative contents of her works, which are nearly always left untitled.

Contemplative and obsessive in her approach, Hearman returns repeatedly to a number of motifs in her work – a child’s radiant face, the back of someone’s head, a glowing orb, a deserted road, an aeroplane gliding through a liquid sky, a phosphorescent sunset, a melancholic cloud, dogs, flowers, birds, cats and, perhaps most bizarrely, rows of shining teeth smiling at us. The luminous subjects of her portraits tend to float in a sea of blackness or abstract fields of colour, while her landscapes are often set at the edges of bush and suburbia, captured at twilight or dawn, their uncertain light spawning otherworldly forms and imbuing them with a supernatural quality.

Curated by Anna Davis

Touring Dates & Locations to view Louise’s work:

• TarraWarra Museum of Art: http://www.twma.com.au/exhibition/louise-hearman/

  311 Healesville-Yarra Glen Road,Healesville, Victoria, Australia Melway reference 277 B2

  February 18 – May 14 2017

• QUT Art Museum: http://www.artmuseum.qut.edu.au/exhibit/2017/louise-hearman.jsp

   2 George St, Brisbane City QLD 4000

  June 3 2017 – August 6 2017

Chaplain’s Corner

When my daughter was 3 years old we caught an international flight together to go and see my parents in Indonesia. We were on our way down the tunnel, the air bridge, towards the plane and there was a substantial queue. My daughter, being an excited 3 year old, broke free from my hand wove her way through the line up and disappeared. At which point I knew she was ahead of me somewhere, so just waited in the line until I arrived at the plane door to board.

Eventually I arrived at the plane door and I had the two tickets, although there was just one of me. “Where is the other person, a Miss Esther Grace? they asked. ‘I guess she’s already somewhere on the plane,’ and then explained the situation after they tried to tell me that was not possible. The search of the plane then began, and sure enough, there she was in first class happily sitting on a large comfortable seat looking very much at home. I took her by the hand and calmly walked her from first class, past business class and eventually found our seats, which were right at the back of the plane. She then piped up, ‘But mummy, I like the other seats better. Why can’t I sit there?’

We sat down, and then I went on to talk about how in Gods eyes all people are equal, and if Jesus had a plane, everyone would have the same seat, and there would be room for all. But, people are born into different situations, with different backgrounds and the world does not treat all people as equal etc. I think I lost her attention about 20 minutes into my explanation…

The thing is, Jesus was revolutionary. In a heavily patriarchal society where social order, colour of your skin, your gender and your age were used as ways to define, control and maintain structure that oppressed and controlled people, Jesus dared to suggest people were equal. No, he went even further and claimed it was to these people, those whom the Roman world had in some way oppressed and excluded. It was to these that the kingdom of heaven belonged. 

In the book of Galatians, Paul is writing to the church in Galatia, because has heard a hierarchy of Christianity was beginning to develop, with Jewish males at the top and children and female slaves at the bottom. And he writes this:

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians chapter 3.

He reminds the church in Galatia of how in Gods eyes all are equal and so should people be in our eyes. All treated with respect and dignity.

Here at Tintern Grammar, I believe we see all students as equal, all with a right to learn and a right to be respected. And that’s the community I am proud to be part of.

by Alison Andrew, School Chaplain

Music Matters

Student Performances added to the Festivities at the Fair

The vibe of the Tintern Grammar Fair was lively and was a great way to bring the school community together to celebrate our great school. The live music performances helped to create this vibe as all performers were Tintern music students ranging from Years 3 to 12. Each group brought energy and their love for music to their performances, which is what makes our Music Department so special.

The performances were split across two staging areas: the Main Stage and the Junior School Deck. Both areas had very different atmospheres.  On the Main Stage, the audience enjoyed listening to music from the Intermediate and Senior Jazz Bands, Senior Wind Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Cooper Choir, Hairspray performance and the Junior and Senior Massed Singing, including a performance with Lisa Edwards for the final student performance of the day. The audience this year was lively and every performance had a responsive and supportive crowd.

On the Junior School Deck performance area, the mood was a lot more relaxed. Located near the Devonshire tea area, people were able to enjoy a bite to eat while listening to our smaller ensembles. The groups which performed on the Deck were the Saxophone Ensemble, Clarinet Ensemble, Flute Ensemble, the Kelson String Quartet, Intermediate String Quartet, Clementson Piano Quartet, Brass Ensemble and the Guitar Ensembles. These smaller groups also brought their love for music and enthusiasm to the more intimate performing space.

A special thank you must go to those teachers and students who arrived early to help set up the equipment on the stage and stayed behind to help pack up the Main stage and to those who helped move equipment throughout the day. It really helped move the day along smoothly. An extra special thank you to Mrs Bezaire, Mr Veldman, Mrs Clarke, Ms McKenzie, Ms Bortolussi, Mr Kidd, Ms Scarfe, Ms Lok, Mrs Wagner and Mrs Casey for your ongoing support through the weekly rehearsals prior to the fair. Your work with the music students is really appreciated by the school community.

by Tiana McAsey, Instrumental Music Captain (Band) 2017

First Twilight Concert for 2017 is a winner!

Last Wednesday afternoon various students from different year levels participated in the first of our annual Twilight Concert series. This event took place in the Kelson Room, where staff, students and parents joined together to hear this fantastic programme. Ms Constable also joined the concert as a special guest to support the students. The annual Twilight Concerts are always a great opportunity for music students to perform in front of an audience up close. These events allow the students to share their interpretations of different pieces of music. However, most importantly, by hearing music, it helps our bodies to relax physically and mentally from a busy day of school. The students all performed well. The concert featured all types of musical instruments such as piano, clarinet and string instruments, as well as music from a range of musical eras such as Classical, 20th Century and modern contemporary music. Overall, the concert was a great success.

by Steven Zhang, School Pianist 2017

Music of Japan

On Friday 28 April, during first period, Toshi (a taiko player) and Anne (a taiko and shakuhachi player) came and performed in the CM Wood Performance Centre at Tintern. They performed in front of the Year 7 and 8 girls and boys and the IB students as a part of a World Music unit, which we are currently studying in music.

Toshi and Anne played many different pieces using the Taiko, Shakuhachi, Chappas (small cymbals) Kane (small gong) and Sasara (a rattling wooden instrument). They were energetic and had a lot of fun on stage. They had both been playing Taiko for 31 years but only met and started working together 20 years ago. When they were introducing themselves, they were nothing but smiles and that continued throughout the entire performance, which made it so much more entertaining because they were enjoying themselves, so it made the audience happy and interested in what they were going to do next.

Toshi and Anne started to come down to where the audience was sitting and pointing to people, telling them to go on stage and stand or sit behind a drum. I remember I was sitting anxiously not really wanting to go up on stage in front of all those people, but before I knew it, Anne was dragging my hand and pulling me up onto the stage telling me to stand behind one of the bigger drums which was called an okedaiko. My face turned as red as a tomato as I picked up the bachi (Japanese for drumsticks). Toshi started to play a rhythm on his drum and we had to copy him. As I got into it, my fear dissolved and it was so much fun playing up on stage with other students, alongside Toshi and Anne.

I really enjoyed this performance and I would love to watch them perform again. They did a really good job of introducing Japanese music and made me intrigued and wanting to listen to more taiko.

by Sarah Thompson, Year 8

Workshops with Music of Japan

Following the performance students in 8B, 8C and 8E went on to enjoy workshops with Anne and Toshi. The pieces learnt in the workshops will form the basis of Taiko items to be performed later this term at the Year 8 Performing Arts Evening on Monday 19 June.

By Alison Bezaire, Director of Music

Community Concert at Olivet Aged Care Home

A group of Year 11 IB Music students and two Middle School flautists brought some music and joy to the clients at the Olivet Aged Persons Home this week, as they performed a range of musical items for the residents and members of their families. IB Music students, Holly Fryer (flute), Charlotte Menagh (clarinet) and Steven Zhang (piano), and Year 9 students Zoe Forbes and Clarisse Liew, delighted with their array of works adeptly accompanied by Head of Keyboard, Ms Heather McKenzie. The residents were thrilled that the students gave so willingly of their time to entertain them on a cool yet sunny morning.

Senior Girls’ Chamber Choir competing in Boroondara Eisteddfod

We wish the Senior Girls’ Chamber Choir all the best as they compete in the a cappella section of the Boroondara Eisteddfod on the afternoon/evening of Monday 15 May. The girls will be singing in the Hawthorn Arts Centre (formerly Hawthorn Town Hall). Please contact the Music Office on 9845 7837 or music@tintern.vic.edu.au, if you are interested in attending to support the girls and would like further details of their performance times.

Friends of Music Jazz Night, Saturday 27 May, 7.00PM

It’s the highlight of the Tintern Musical Social Calendar! The Friends of Music Jazz Night is fast approaching, so avoid disappointment and book your table now. Click on the following link for further booking details: https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=276677

by Alison Bezaire, Director of Music

Sport Matters

Another resounding success at our 17^th Annual Horse Trials Championship

The 17^th Annual Tintern Interschool Horse Trials was once again a great success. The event was held at the picturesque Wandin Park on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 April. There were over 270 competitors from 46 schools across Victoria who participated in the competition. Tintern’s Interschool Horse Trials is a unique event on the Interschool Equestrian Calendar where competitors participate in three phases of competition over two days – dressage, show jumping and cross country. Dressage being the main event on Saturday and Cross Country and Showjumping on Sunday. In 2016 our event became a qualifying event for the Nationals, which is a notable achievement for an event run by a school.

The weather was kind to us for most of the weekend, aside from a little drizzle on Saturday morning. We were thrilled that Seumas Marwood, whose son Tyler was competing, agreed to walk the Cross Country course with some of our youngest riders. Seumas is a 4* rider who has been competing at National and International level for Australia for over 30 years, so we appreciated his generosity in providing some valuable tips to our Class 5 riders who are quite new to eventing.

Most competitors camp with their horses and team mates at Wandin Park over the course of the weekend. Many of the competitors, teachers and their families enjoyed the dinner and dancing which was organised on Saturday evening whilst others enjoyed staying warm by their camp fires.

The competition is scored individually and as a team event, at the time of writing, we are still awaiting final results from the Event Secretary.

Tintern Grammar had 11 riders in three teams and, whilst our teams didn’t place this year, there were some great individual results. Congratulations to all our riders from Tintern Grammar Equestrian Team. There were many personal bests achieved over the course of the weekend and all of our riders were outstanding ambassadors for Tintern Grammar.

Thank you to the parents from the Friends of Equestrian, who all worked together to organise the day with enthusiasm and professionalism. This event would not be possible without the many hundreds of hours also provided by the teams of volunteers who assist the committee during the weekend.

One of our Equestrian Captains, Eliza Harvey (Year 12), was representing Tintern at her 10^th Tintern Horse Trials this year. Congratulations, Eliza, on your outstanding contribution to the Equestrian Team during your time at Tintern.  We look forward to another successful event in 2018.

by Alison Bezaire, Equestrian Coordinator

Interschool Equestrian State Championships

During the school holidays, we had three riding and two strapping members of the Tintern Equestrian team spend a wet few days camping in Werribee for the Interschool Equestrian State Championships.

This is a very large state event that attracts hundreds of Victorian families from all over the state to compete in a variety of equestrian classes, all gaining points for themselves individually and also as a school team.  We were fortunate enough to have three fantastic competitors form a Tintern Team: Lilly Trevorrow, Odette McCallum and Keeley Thomas. These girls along with their support crew of Ella Trevorrow and Darcee McCallum had excellent results. There were over 480 competitors representing 180 schools.  The Tintern Team finished 30^th with both Lilly and Keeley receiving ribbons for individual achievements.

Tintern Holiday Clinic

The Tintern Equestrian Team members enjoyed a lovely clinic at Wandin Park during the holidays. Every member had two very informative lessons with 4* professional eventers Will Enzinger and Emily Anker in the showjumping and cross country. The weather was perfect, as was the BBQ organised by the parents.

Thank you to the Friends of Equestrian Committee for organising the lessons, we all felt very prepared for the Horse Trials last weekend!

by Eliza Harvey, Equestrian Captain 2017

Community Matters

Welcome to the first edition of Community Matters for Term 2, 2017. It is through this section we keep you informed of the events and achievements of the various Community Groups as well as the many and varied activities in which they participate. It has been a very busy start to the Term with the Fair and Friends of Equestrian Horse Trials already, with many more exciting events still to come.

If you would like to be involved with any of the Community Groups please contact the Community Relations team on 9845 7877 or email communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au.

Keep your eye on the Tintern Portal as Community news will be updated regularly so you will not miss any important information. If you would like to contribute to Community Matters, email your submissions to the Community Relations Office and we will incorporate your news wherever possible.

Community Group Fundraising

Tintern Rose

The Tintern Rose is available for sale to celebrate our 140 year anniversary. This compact floribunda rose, exhibits orange-red buds unfolding to fragrant 10cm orange flowers, ageing through shades of pink.

The Tintern Rose is ideal for larger patio pots or garden plantings. 2017 also marks the 15 year anniversary of the Tintern Rose, developed for our 125 Year anniversary in 2002. Roses can be purchased for $20 and are available from the Community Relations Office.

Please call 9845 7877 or email for pick up and payment details.

Photo Album

The TPG is also continuing to offer beautiful quality made customised ‘buckram’ binders for only $70. A saving of $20 as they normally retail for $90. The albums are available in both Navy and Burgundy and feature the school crest and name printed in silver on the front cover and come complete with 10 transparent sheet inserts.

The albums are great for storing:
– The official school photos
– Certificates
– Naplan and ICAS results
– Sports and performer ribbons
– Artwork
– Programs from concerts, sports days and special assemblies
– Photos
– Newsletter clippings
– Your own scrapbook creations (as the pages are 30cm x 30cm standard scrapbook size)

In fact, if you think of it like a filing cabinet of memories, over the years it builds up into quite a treasure! Samples can be viewed in the uniform shop and all orders are now taken at this link through trybooking. 

Entertainment books

The Entertainment books are once again offered for purchase through the School. The Entertainment™ Book, and the Entertainment™ Digital Membership, are your guide to the most popular restaurants, attractions, shopping, travel and more, all with valuable up to 50% off and 2-for-1 offers. The book is current from purchase until the end of May 2018.

Please click here to pre order your 2017/2018 Entertainment book. 

Community Group News

Jazz Night

You are invited to attend the 2017 Tintern Grammar Jazz Night. It is once again shaping up to be an exciting and fun filled evening. Held on Saturday 27 May at 7pm in the CM Wood Centre, come to our ‘City of Stars’ and enjoy a glittering night of entertainment and dancing while supporting our music students. To learn more about Jazz Night, download this flyer.

Bring along your own drinks and gourmet snacks.

Bookings are now open and can be made through here through trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/PTHL

Careers Night – Find Your Future Self!

Come along and chat to past students who are working in careers they love, studying their favourite subjects at University or TAFE, or taking time out to explore different career options and gain work experience. You will have the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with alumni who share your passion, so come prepared with questions about their journey.

This event is ideal for Year 9 to 12 students and their parents/guardians, however all secondary school students are welcome to attend. To book visit this link: trybooking.com/PWHU

Careers Night App is also available to download
The Tintern Grammar Careers Night App was developed using HelloCrowd, a free mobile event platform. Download the app via this link: https://hca.io/e/vyzz3q

We will be continuously updating the app, so check in often to get the latest updates. We will send you a push notification to let you know about the big updates.

Footy tipping is back – and it isn’t too late to join!

The annual Tintern Grammar Footy Tipping Competition is up and running again. Though we are up to Round 7 it isn’t too late to join.

For those interested in joining the 2017 competition, here are the details:

Website: www.footytips.com.au
Competition name: Tintern Grammar Community
Password: tintern

You will then have to log into your own account or create one. When setting up your account, you might like to check the reminder email box so you don’t forget!

The competition is free and open to our entire adult (18+ @ 24/3/2017) Tintern community – Tintern Grammar students will not be permitted to enter. If you have, any questions please email communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au and we’ll help you get started.

Cash Prizes awarded:

• 1st prize $250
• 2nd prize $120
• 3rd prize $60
• 4th Prize $40
• 5th prize $20

Last year Mr Fry won the competition, so we are all keen to knock him off top spot this year!!

Good luck and start tipping!!

Year Level Functions

NA this month.

Fair News

The 2017 Giant Tintern Grammar Fair is over and we have all almost recovered! It was once again an exciting and fantastic day!

Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers on the Fair Committee, and especially the Fair Convenor Amanda McKenzie and Assistant Convenor Kylie Spears. Your dedication, expertise and tireless efforts were instrumental in ensuring the success of the 2017 Fair.

We would also like to extend a thank you to everyone who volunteered; whether in the many hours of preparation for the Fair, on the day itself in any number of important roles, or in the tidy up afterwards – without your support events of this greatness would not be possible.

An Invitation to the Fair Reveal and Thank You Evening

When:   Wednesday May 10, 2017
Time:     7:00 – 8:30pm
Venue:  CM Wood Common Room (next to the CM Wood Performance Centre) at Tintern Grammar
RSVP:    By Tuesday 9 May 2017 through the following link: trybooking.com/PYUY

Drinks and canapes are provided.

Friends of Equestrian Horse Trials 

Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who spent Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 April at the Horse Trials at Wandin Park. It was the Friends of Equestrian 17th Annual Inter-School Horse Trials and was another wonderful event for all involved.

This prestigious event once again attracted nearly 300 competitors and around 500 plus families and spectators from all over Victoria.

A special thank you the dedicated volunteers on the Friends of Equestrian Committee who spent many hours preparing and managing this wonderful event. Your expertise and commitment has been invaluable and we are incredibly grateful for all that you did.

Thank you also to the Friends of Music Committee who ran a delicious BBQ for the Horse Trials. The time and effort you all contributed to this was greatly appreciated.

Read more about this year’s the Horse Trials.

Past Students

TOGA Golf Team: Bridesmaids Again! 

Tintern Golf Team, L to R: Sue Semmens (Class of 1978), Deb Guilmartin (Bell Class of 1991), Lyn Coutie (Stevenson Class of 1970) and Melinda Thomas (Class of 1983)

Tintern came agonisingly close to winning their first Interschool Golf Challenge Cup, losing to Fintona by 2 points on Monday 3 April 2017. The 88^th running of this event, this year at Kew Golf Club, saw our team of Sue Semmens, Deb Guilmartin, Lyn Coutie and Melinda Thomas make a valiant attempt to bring the Cup home for Tintern for the first time, having tied for third place last year!! Newest recruit Lyn had a great 36 points, giving her runner-up in the Nell Goff trophy, but our aggregate team score of 121 points fell just short of Fintona’s 123 points. Perhaps next year…

For further information and photos from the event please select here.

Anna Harvey (Class of 2016)

Photo (L to R): Professor George Simon (Deputy Dean, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University), Anna Harvey (Class of 2016) and Mr Bradley Fry (Tintern Grammar Principal)

Congratulations to Anna Harvey, who graduated from Tintern last year and has been awarded an Engineering Scholarship to Monash University.

Joyce Rowlands (Class of 1949)

Joyce Rowlands, year group 1949, recently won a gold medal in the 2016 Mountain Bike Orienteering World Masters held in Anglesea last year. She rode in 3 races; the long, the middle and sprint distances.

Joyce, along with her friend Graeme, were thrilled to be recognised as the oldest competing Orienteering cyclists in the World Master Series for 2016.

Congratulations Joyce!

Louise Hearman (Class of 1981)

This exhibition is the first major museum survey of Australian painter Louise Hearman, year group 1981, featuring painting and drawings from across her more than 25-year practice.
The Melbourne-based artist is best known for her dark dream-like paintings where things are never quite as they seem. It is up to us to imagine what is glimmering in the half-light or lurking deep in the shadows, as the artist offers no written clues to the evocative contents of her works, which are nearly always left untitled.

Contemplative and obsessive in her approach, Hearman returns repeatedly to a number of motifs in her work – a child’s radiant face, the back of someone’s head, a glowing orb, a deserted road, an aeroplane gliding through a liquid sky, a phosphorescent sunset, a melancholic cloud, dogs, flowers, birds, cats and, perhaps most bizarrely, rows of shining teeth smiling at us. The luminous subjects of her portraits tend to float in a sea of blackness or abstract fields of colour, while her landscapes are often set at the edges of bush and suburbia, captured at twilight or dawn, their uncertain light spawning otherworldly forms and imbuing them with a supernatural quality.

Curated by Anna Davis

Touring Dates & Locations to view Louise’s work:

• TarraWarra Museum of Art: http://www.twma.com.au/exhibition/louise-hearman/

  311 Healesville-Yarra Glen Road,Healesville, Victoria, Australia Melway reference 277 B2

  February 18 – May 14 2017

• QUT Art Museum: http://www.artmuseum.qut.edu.au/exhibit/2017/louise-hearman.jsp

   2 George St, Brisbane City QLD 4000

  June 3 2017 – August 6 2017

Another Term in the ELC!

It seems amazing that the first term has finished. It has been an exciting time for all concerned, the students, staff and parents alike.

The students have experienced a myriad of new activities such as visits to the farm, Letterland activities, Music, Library, PMP, incursions, and buddies. Perhaps the best of all is making many new friends and enjoying the outdoor space which offers so many opportunities for creative play. I wonder what Term 2 will bring?

It has been wonderful to see the great development of all the children as they have grown in confidence and participated in all activities with such enthusiasm. Our new ELC Coordinator Mrs Kristin De Vos has settled in so well and ensures the smooth running of the centre.

The building continues to an inspiring place to visit every day: a light, inviting, spacious and welcoming building which seems to instil an upbeat feeling in all who enter it! This is no overstatement; it really is most exciting to see the enthusiastic vibes coming from the staff, parents and children. It is always wonderful to see the children happily enter the building each morning. 

Literacy Learning

Literacy learning is an incredibly important component of our program within the Junior Schools. In the 21st Century literacy skills allow individuals the opportunity to compete in the global marketplace. As a result, citizens of industrialized nations are expected to master reading and writing skills to a high level. Here at Tintern Grammar we believe that if these skills are taught well, then this will open up a whole host of opportunities for your daughter/son in the future.

When we take time to watch and listen to young people playing we see literacy in action and we begin to appreciate its importance and impact. We see and hear them using all facets of literacy to express and share their ideas through:

• having conversations
• telling stories
• listening
• reading
• writing
• drawing
• painting
• acting/pretending
• making up stories
• holistically combining body, mind and feeling
• building communities with shared interests

When they use these developing skills they reveal a surprisingly extensive and rich knowledge base. At Tintern Grammar Early Learning Centre literacy skills are explored and developed through a wide range of play‐based activities, spontaneous learning opportunities, and teacher‐directed group learning. The classroom environment will support students’ learning by providing a literacy‐rich learning space. Students in the 4 year old Pre‐Prep Program will also have the opportunity to attend Library lessons, as well as enjoy borrowing books to take home.

The ELC staff build on students’ phonic skills by using the well‐known Letterland program, which provides an exciting introduction to the world of letters and words. The Letterland program continues into Junior Schools (up to Year 2) and provides a solid foundation for reading and spelling.

Wheelathon to support Wheelchairs for Kids update

The gift of giving something so wonderful to someone else in need, that it changes their life, is rare and powerful.

In March, we were delighted to host a Wheelathon to support the Wheelchairs for Kids organisation. ‘Unsung heroes’ can become a blasé, throw away line, but the volunteers involved in this organisation are remarkable, Selfless people. They raise funds to build wheelchairs that are then shipped overseas to children in terrible circumstances, in disadvantaged countries. It only costs $200 for a wheelchair to be built and shipped and to then make it’s way to often very remote villages.

The two stories below highlight how support of WFKs changes lives

“Mercy is a seven year old girl living in a small village in western Kenya. When meeting her, it’s obvious how much joy she exudes, she is full of life. Born with spina bifida, Mercy recently received a Wheelchairs for Kids wheelchair through an innovative project called ACCESS that is funded by USAID and supported by World Vision Australia through wheelchair donations. The project links a local service provider, Motivation Charitable Trust – a wheelchair technical expert, and World Vision, to ensure that clients not only get the right wheelchair in the right way, but also supported to fully participate in their communities.

Mercy loves her wheelchair and uses the blue table to write her homework. To her teacher’s delight she is always quick to answer questions in class. Mercy’s school is about half a kilometre away from her house, on a windy and bumpy path. Luckily Wheelchairs for Kids wheelchairs are built to last, the wheelchair holds out for the daily journey. In the past, Mercy’s mother used to have to carry Mercy everywhere on her back, which grew increasingly difficult as she got older. Her new wheelchair now ensures that Mercy can continue to do everything she loves like playing with her siblings. Mercy’s only complaint is that her mother now asks her to do household chores.

Wheelchairs for Kids great partnership with World Vision and Motivation Charitable Trust is changing the lives of children like Mercy.”

“Socheata, lives in a small village about 15mins outside of Kompong Thom and suffers from Motor Neuron Disease, in her case the upper motor neurons are specifically affected. She is now 4 years old and becoming quite a struggle for her grandmother to carry around….after contact was made with Wheelchairs for Kids, it took only two months before Socheata was in her own wheelchair”

Yesterday, we were delighted that Russell Hayes, from WFK, returned to an Assembly, where we presented him with a cheque for $7721.95… that’s 38 wheelchairs that will forever change the lives of children overseas.

What an amazing moment for our Junior School girls and boys… to feel such pride, compassion and fulfilment, and to experience the rare gift of giving so much to others. Enjoy this video summary of our 2017 Wheelathon.

ANZAC Day Assembly

Our Boys’ Junior School ANZAC Assembly was a very special event. Our Year 6 boys led the Assembly with such respect and confidence. Our focus, after a brief background to the ANZAC Campaign, was the famous 11th Battalion AIF Cheops Pyramid Photograph. After a brief discussion about a number of intriguing ‘myths’ surrounding this photo, (such as Myth number 1; there is a dead soldier being supported in the photo, and Myth 2; that the soldiers holding hands in the front row are father and sons) our Year 6 boys told the sad stories of a number of the individual soldiers, such as those following:

Fred and Frank Adcock

Their experience of war for Fred and Frank Adcock was short and brutal. When war was declared Frank Adcock (left) was amongst the first in the rush to join up. Frederick Aldcock (right) made his decision a month later. The brothers trained together in Egypt before heading to Gallipoli to be a part of the first ANZAC landing. When survivors mustered for roll call on the beach within days of the ANZAC landing, neither Fred nor Frank could be accounted for. Both Frank and Frederick were therefore listed as Killed in Action on April 25th 1915.

William Lumsden

William signed up for the war when aged 22 and as soon as Great Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914.  After two months of training in Egypt, William left for Turkey. He wrote the following in a letter to his family.

So, on the 24th of April we left for Turkey land towing enough of small boats to take us ashore, well we got there at day break and we were welcomed with a shower of shrapnel and the machine gun fire was something terrible, although in our boat no one was hit but the bullets was dropping all round us and two boats of our company was riddled and not a single man got ashore. Now for what life is like in the trenches, well I went in on the Sunday and never got out again till the bullet relieved on the Friday. We were pretty hard hit for the want of water and tucker. The first water that was sent in was on Wednesday morning. We never had a sleep for the Turks kept at us all night and creeping up to the trenches and throwing hand bombs and the German officers used to come right into our lines and give orders. The snipers are good shots. They are hidden in the scrub and also dug in. I think this is all…. hoping this to find you all well.

Your affectionate son
Willie

Willie was wounded in action at Pozieres in France in July 1916 and lay unattended for a long time before stretcher bearers, under great pressure finally reached him.

He had been shot in the chest and groin and was taken to Hospital. He died the following day.

Literacy Learning

Literacy learning is an incredibly important component of our program within the Junior Schools. In the 21st Century literacy skills allow individuals the opportunity to compete in the global marketplace. As a result, citizens of industrialized nations are expected to master reading and writing skills to a high level. Here at Tintern Grammar we believe that if these skills are taught well, then this will open up a whole host of opportunities for your daughter/son in the future.

When we take time to watch and listen to young people playing we see literacy in action and we begin to appreciate its importance and impact. We see and hear them using all facets of literacy to express and share their ideas through:

• having conversations
• telling stories
• listening
• reading
• writing
• drawing
• painting
• acting/pretending/making up stories
• holistically combining body, mind and feeling
• building communities with shared interests

When they use these developing skills they reveal a surprisingly extensive and rich knowledge base. At Tintern Grammar Early Learning Centre literacy skills are explored and developed through a wide range of play‐based activities, spontaneous learning opportunities, and teacher‐directed group learning. The classroom environment will support students’ learning by providing a literacy‐rich learning space. Students in the 4 year old Pre‐Prep Program will also have the opportunity to attend Library lessons, as well as enjoy borrowing books to take home.

The ELC staff build on students’ phonic skills by using the well‐known Letterland program, which provides an exciting introduction to the world of letters and words. The Letterland program continues into Junior Schools (up to Year 2) and provides a solid foundation for reading and spelling.

Women in War Time

Last week we celebrated ANZAC Day and held a special ceremony for this event. The theme this year was Women in War Time and we spent our time discussing and exploring what happened to women in World War II (1939-1945). At first the government politely discouraged those women who wanted to perform some kind of military service. However, it soon became clear that the war was going to demand much more than the government had expected.  Women could do the technical jobs normally performed by men, freeing those men for combat.

Before the war, it was generally expected that a working man was the main provider for his family. So, any woman who took a job was somehow taking it from a man, who needed it to support his family. With so many men away at war, this argument could no longer stand.

Many women had the opportunity to work for the first time. Women were recruited to many jobs which were previously considered too physically hard for them: welding, machine repair, operating tractors and other large engines. They made uniforms, weapons and ammunition. They helped build trucks, tanks and airplanes. Women also stepped into agricultural jobs. Many thought women would be incapable of these tasks.

A volunteer force called the Australian Women’s Land Army sent women out from the cities to work on farms: ploughing, harvesting, milking cows. They were essential in keeping up the food supply of Australia. These women began working in areas which had traditionally been male.

There were many nurses who served in active duty.  There were pilots, army personal and women in the navy, as well as ambulance driving, and the Auxiliary fire service. The volunteers service comprising of women was also vital for the war effort. The girls certainly reflected on the situation during this time. 

The Junior School gave thanks for the many soldiers who fought for Australia. Thank you to Mrs Wagner who made the occasion very memorable. Some Year 6 students, accompanied by Mrs Wagner, sang ‘The Last Anzac’;  Ava Cassidy, Natasha Gillam and Ella Jones. The girls sang beautifully which helped us to reflect about this day.

You might like to take a look at the presentation shared with the girls: Women in War Time

What is ANZAC Day?  ANZAC Day, 25 April, is probably Australia’s most important national occasion. It marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.

Wreath Laying – Flowers have traditionally been laid on the graves or memorials of the dead. Our Principal, Mr Fry lay a wreath at the base of the flag in the Junior School.

The Ode – The Ode is taken from Laurence Binyon’s poem For the Fallen.

They shall grow not old, as we

that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor

the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun

and in the morning

We will remember them.

(Audience responds)

We will remember them.

The Last Post – In the military, The Last Post traditionally marks the end of the working day. The Last Post is a bugle call played during commemorative ceremonies to serve as a tribute to the dead.

One Minute’s Silence – One minutes silence is included in the ANZAC Day ceremony as a sign of respect. It offers time for reflection on the significance of the ceremony.

The Rouse – The Rouse is played following the silence and signifies waking up to a new day. During the playing of The Rouse, flags should be slowly raised to the masthead. At the end of The Rouse the ode reader says: Lest we forget. The people gathered repeat: Lest we forget.

The National Anthem – Advance Australia Fair is sung at the conclusion of the ceremony.

Prep Fabulous Fancy Dress Friday

One of our favourite special days in Prep would have to be Fabulous Fancy Dress Friday! The Preps fluttered to school in their delightful fairy dresses or firemen or football outfits. We made fairy bread for our morning snack and had great fun practising writing our letters in foam. We made fairy wands and wrote about our outfits. Blowing fairy bubbles was fabulous. You may like to flutter by and see the display outside our Prep classroom! 

Wheelathon Success!

End of last term, our Junior Schools’ girls and boys participated tirelessly in our Wheelathon. The energy and fun displayed by our children was outstanding, and while enjoying themselves, most importantly, they were also able to see the valuable use that wheelchairs provide for those in need. This week it was announced the final figure raised  – $7721.95 – the WFK organisation will be able to make and send another 38 wheelchairs overseas!  This is a fantastic outcome!

Fred Hollows Crazy Glasses Day

A fun day was had by all as the students dressed in casual clothes last Thursday.  They wore crazy glasses and brought a gold coin to help raise funds for the very worthy Fred Hollows Foundation.  The Fred Hollows Foundation is a non-profit aid organisation based in Australia and founded in 1992 by eye surgeon Fred Hollows. The Foundation focuses on treating and preventing blindness and other vision problems and has successfully treated thousands of patients.

End of Term 1 Lunchtime Concert

An enthusiastic audience of parents, family members and students listened to a delightful concert of solo items and group ensembles on the last Wednesday  of Term 1.  It is always a pleasure to hear the debut performance of our Year 2 String players!   Thank you to all the families who support and encourage their daughters to keep up the practise and try their hardest.  This commitment is paying off, as we all thoroughly enjoyed the performances at our lunchtime concert.  

Girls’ Middle School News

Welcome back to Term 2! We have hit the ground running in the first two weeks and there is a buzz of excitement about the upcoming events this term holds for us. Our first big event was the Tintern Grammar Fair and what a wonderful community event it was. A very big thank-you to all parents who volunteered their time in the lead up the event, on and after the day. It was a most enjoyable day and the atmosphere was terrific!

Year 7s have begun learning their House Cheersports routines and preparing for the competition in June. Likewise, Year 9 girls have begun to develop their ideas and choreography for House Dancing. On top of this, each House has been busily practising their House Music songs!!! House competitions and activities add great life and energy to our school and are wonderful opportunities for students to work with groups outside of their friendship and class groups. It also allows for interaction between students from different year levels and I’m really pleased to see the positive approach students have demonstrated towards these activities.

Selected Year 8 students have begun the ‘Writers Workshop’ and on Friday Year 7 and 8 students participated in a World Music Incursion. Girls studying the Year 9 Outdoor Education Elective have been developing their bike riding skills and our Equestrian Team competed last weekend at the Tintern Horse Trials at Wandin.

We have much to look forward to in the coming weeks with the Cathedral Service on Sunday 7 May and Jazz Night on Saturday 27 May.

Boys’ Middle School News

As much as we love the holidays, I always enjoy the start of a new term as the students return with a sense of excitement and energy that is really motivating and contagious. They have stories to share, friends to re-unite with and importantly have personal goals in mind when it comes to their school work and their achievements. This is something that is discussed with them by their Pastoral Mentor at the beginning of each term and important for them to have in their mind as they progress through each week of school.

Respect is the key theme this term and was introduced to all students in the Secondary School in an assembly on Day 1 of the term by our Principal Mr Fry. He discussed the importance of recognising the level of respect we all need to carry within ourselves, and the importance of understanding respect in the day-to-day relationships between; student-to-student, staff-to-student and student-to-staff. Understanding respect will be something that the Pastoral Mentors will be discussing through our Pastoral Program throughout the term.

Mountain Bike Riding Excursion

On the Monday 24 of April the Outdoor Ed class went on a bike ride around Wombolano Park. Before we left the school we rode up the farm hill which was challenging. After that the teachers gave us a rest, and we practised safe ways to avoid obstacles that we may come across. After we learnt the skills we needed to go the mountain bike ride, we left the school. When we rode the on the roads we were cautious and used lots of arm signals. After riding on the roads we arrived at Wombolano Park, we practised all the skills that we had learned for example “level cranks” and “chicken flap arms.”

After using our new skills we all stopped at a little bushy path and were allowed to ride as fast as we could though it, leaving a big space in between people so we would not crash into each other. At this little path I really loved how we were able to challenge ourselves and take it a step further out of our comfort zones. Overall I really liked this excursion and I think it was really fun.

by Lauren Maxwell-Greenwood, Year 9A

Year 8 Cooking

Year 8 Health is a great opportunity for students to learn and use some practical cooking skills. The course allows students to think more carefully about the food choices they make. The highlight of the course is the major assignment on researching, producing and evaluating a salad dish. The outcome of the assignment shows how varied and creative students can be and provides a valuable boost to their confidence in the kitchen.

by Andrew Cho, VCE / VET Co-ordinator

Corey Dickson Wins Under 18 Great Train Race

Following on from the National Championships just recently, Corey Dickson entered the Great Train Race 2017. This is a gruelling 13.5km run through the picturesque Dandenong Ranges from Belgrave to Emerald Lake Park. It is a really challenging race as athletes not only try to run their own best time, they look to beat the iconic Puffing Billy as it winds its way around the course. Corey ran incredibly well, not only beating the train home but finishing first in the Under 18 division. An amazing effort by Corey.

Year 7 News

Term 2 is upon us and the Year 7 boys are busily back into the swing of things. Term 1 finished with a terrific week of activities at Camp Merricks which saw the boys climbing, paddling, cooking and snorkelling to their hearts content.

All the boys have settled in comfortably to life in Middle School and we now look forward to consolidating understandings in different subject areas. To that end, the boys have begun to work on their ePortfolio which provides them with the chance to reflect upon their learnings and experiences. These will continue to be worked upon throughout the remainder of the year during pastoral classes.

Year 7 boys also have had their House Soccer event this week as part of their Sport program – congratulations to the boys from Somner Stewart House who triumphed this year, and well done to all boys for participating in a fun and respectful manner.

by Matt O’Brien, Year 7 Co-ordinator

Paul Haasbroek is National Champion

Over the recent holidays two of our Year 9 boys travelled to Sydney to compete in the National Junior Athletics Championships. Corey Dickson competed in the 3000m Walk and Paul Haasbroek in the Heptathlon and Long Jump. Corey competed wonderfully, managing to finish fourth in his event, only to be disqualified at the end of the race due to raised heels. This was disappointing for Corey but we’re sure he will be as determined as ever to amend this at his next event.

Paul competed in two events finishing 11th in the Long Jump with a jump of 5.86m. In the Heptathlon which includes 1500m, Long Jump, 100m Hurdles, Shot Put, High Jump, Javelin and 200m. Paul performed exceptionally well in all of these events including running an incredible PB for the 1500m in a time of 4 minutes 33 seconds to finish first and become National Champion for the event. This is an amazing result, but certainly not surprising for those of us who know Paul and see his commitment to fitness and performance.

Maths Assist Program

From the Head of Senior College

The Annual Cathedral Service

This coming Sunday 7 May we have our Annual Cathedral Service at St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne. It is an expectation that all secondary students will attend the Cathedral Service, which is one of the very few times in a year that we ask students and families to come together for a whole School Community weekend event. A reminder that the Cathedral Service commences at 2.30PM; an arrival time of 2.15PM or earlier at the Cathedral is suggested.

If a Senior College student is unable to attend our annual Cathedral Service, a parent or guardian is required to advise me directly by email prior to Sunday with a legitimate reason for the student’s absence (on gconnor@tintern.vic.edu.au).

As always, the Cathedral Service promises to be a highlight of the year with inspirational music, not only through the choice of hymns which we have been practising in Assemblies, but also through the special items performed by our various Tintern Grammar instrumentalists. We expect to have a larger than usual number of alumnae attending this year joining us in the Cathedral as this year we are celebrating the 140^th Anniversary of the founding of Tintern Grammar.

Our 2017 Student Leadership team has assisted Rev Alison Andrew with the planning of the Service. This year our Students Leaders have chosen the Cathy Freeman Foundation as their chosen charity to support. The Cathy Freeman Foundation aims to help broaden horizons by assisting Indigenous students experience their full potential whilst at school.

A reminder that, as this is a formal School event, we expect students to wear Winter School Uniform – this is in keeping with the recent wintery feel to our weather.

We look forward to greeting all secondary school families at St Paul’s this Sunday 7 May.

 IB Information Night

All Year 9 and 10 families should have received advice that we are holding our International Baccalaureate (IB) Information Night this coming Monday 8 May, in preparation for the 2018 School year. The evening will commence at 7.30PM in Area C of the CM Wood Performance Centre and will conclude by 9PM.

Tintern Grammar has been offering the IB Diploma Program since 1993 and has a history of outstanding success in student results in this internationally accredited equivalent to the VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education). We are one of only a small number of Victorian Schools which offers the IB – but one of many schools in the IB “family” across Australia and the World.

Our current Year 10 students will be making decisions in July of this year as to which of the programs they will chose as they complete their secondary students in Years 11 and 12: the VCE; the VCE with a combination of VET (Vocational Education and Training) subjects; or the IB.

The IB Information Night offers an opportunity for parents and students to hear from IB teaching staff, as well as past and present IB students about this pathway, and to understand how it differs from the VCE. Year 9 families and students are welcome to attend so that they become better aware of Tintern Grammar’s extensive Senior College offerings in preparation for decisions made in Year 10.

As Acting IB Co-ordinator this term, I look forward to greeting current Year 9 and 10 families and students, as well as families and students from outside the School on Monday 8 May.

With kind regards to all,

News from Year 10

Upcoming Events – Elevate Education

All of our Year 10 students will be involved in two seminars called ‘Study Sensei’ and ‘Ace your Exams’ to assist them with their academic studies. An invitation to a parent/guardian seminar has been emailed home so that families only need to send a reply to confirm their place. This is a valuable evening so that the material covered at school can be followed up at home.

A reminder of the parent’s session details:

Venue:                                Tintern Theatre

Date:                                   Thursday 4 May

Time:                                  7.30PM – 8.30PM

Kart Championship Event – Jack Martin

Jack Martin achieved recent success over the holidays with his first senior level competition win in Heat 2 and third in Heat 3 of the 2017 Victorian Kart Championships at the Eastern Lions Kart Club. Overall, Jack qualified third on the day competing against both the current national and state champions so this was an outstanding result for him. Jack is Number 18.

by Heather Ruckert, Year 10 Co-ordinator

News from Year 11

It was a fantastic turnout for the Tintern Fair, with plenty of rides and activities on a day of perfect weather.  Many of the students stayed long enough to see the impressive fireworks display that capped the events.  It was also great to see many past students who came to enjoy themselves and say “Hi” to those staff who may have taught them in previous years. The sense of community was apparent and the Years 7-11 Art Show also drew large crowds of parents and current, as well as past students.

On another note, Year 11 student Jack Oberstar spent the weekend competing in the Victorian On-Road Large Scale State Championships racing his 1/5 scale petrol Mini RC car. He won 3 out of his 5 qualifying races and then went on to win the final. He did exceptionally well as this was the first time he has competed with this petrol car and won the state title in his first competition.  Congratulations to Jack on his championship victory!

by Nick Stefanac, Year 11 Co-ordinator

News from Years 12

Year 12 students are settling back into the routine of classes and study after a well-earned rest over the holidays. No doubt, many Year 12 students were still working hard during this time, but we hope they also took the advice to spend some down time with family and friends and importantly managed to catch up on some sleep.

During the holidays the traditional Year 12 banner created by all the students, was hung in the Senior College space. A big thank you to Louise Smith and Meg Swain for their contributions. It is certainly a “work of art” and this banner also serves as a reminder that we are all one in the Tintern Grammar community and that students should continue to encourage and support each other as much as possible throughout this challenging, yet rewarding year.

For the last time Year 12 students will soon be participating in the House Music competition. The Year 12 House Captains along with all other Year 12 students are engaging the younger students and working enthusiastically with them to make their last House singing performance a memorable one.

by Jen Tsai Bove, Year 12 Co-ordinator

News from the Careers Department

VCE and Careers Expo Weekend Sessions on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 May 2017

The Careers Department has a limited number of free tickets for this event that provides information relating to tertiary courses, Careers discussions, subject selection, gap years, study tips and the UMAT to illustrate the range of exhibitors and information sessions. For further information go to: http://www.vceandcareers.com.au/

‘Find your Future Self’ at Tintern Grammar’s Careers Night

This evening is a wonderful opportunity to begin or further exploration of Careers and chat with past students who are working in Careers they love, studying their favourite subjects at University or TAFE, or taking time out to explore different career options and gain work experience. There will be the opportunity to spend one-on-one time with alumni who share passions or maybe ignite new ones for our students. This event is ideal for Year 9 to 12 students and their parents/guardians, however, all secondary school students are welcome to attend.

Date:                     Thursday 18 May

Time:                    7.00PM – 8.30PM

Location:            CM Wood Performance Centre

Register here via TryBookings.

Careers Night App

We have developed an App to support the Tintern Grammar Careers Night. It is filled with information about the night, and over the next week we will be uploading Alumni profiles, so you can read up on the past students who will be attending the event.

On your smart phone or tablet device Click here to download the app. Follow the prompts or refer to the instructions attached.

 The Tintern Grammar Careers Night app was developed using HelloCrowd, a free mobile event platform.

Reflections from ACU Careers Practitioners’ Seminar

Visiting a range of tertiary providers is always a valuable to learn about changes in this sector and course specific information to assist our students at Tintern. A highlight at ACU is the presentation by Professor Greg Craven who holds prominent positions in many of the review boards affecting this sector.

The key issues for our families to consider were his comments relating to the following areas of debate:

The Role of the ATAR in the Tertiary Selection Process

It is becoming apparent that the ATAR as the sole measure for tertiary selection while still significant is becoming less important for a range of courses. Professor Craven quoted that at present 75% of courses use something other than pure ATAR for selection. This may include the traditional musical audition of Visual Arts folio interview but also the use of personal statements, problem-solving tasks, and reference to relevant Work Experience, Community Service or course specific additional forms. This increasing range of selection modes means that students need to begin considering these requirements in Years 10 and 11. Findings from research indicate that the ATAR is good at predicting success in the 80s and 90s ranges in terms of completion rates. However, statistically there is only 6 percent difference in the completion rates between students with ATARS in the 60s (17 percent non-completion) to students with ATARS in the 30s and 40s (23 percent non-completion) so the evidence is not as strong. Tintern has always been committed to providing the broadest opportunities for our students and our students are well placed in terms of their preparation for life beyond school. In particular, our Senior College Mentors work hard to encourage students to undertake Work Experience, to complete Community Service, to become involved in leadership programs and participate in the co-curricular program that all help to create a diverse student skill set.

The Issue of Transparency in Entry Standards

As a member of the Higher Education Standards Panel, Professor Craven is committed to equity and transparency in entry standards that is consistent with the ethos of ACU as a University. Some of the recommendations under consideration of the various working parties include:

• The use of common terminology in the selection procedures for all institutions
• Universities to publish a statement of their selection approach and profile. For example, publishing the percentage of students who entered a course under the clearly in ATAR and possibly publishing the lowest ATAR for a student entering a course.
• Three clear categories for University entry to include:
• ATAR only
• ATAR plus a range of selection criteria eg audition or completion of a problem solving task
• Non ATAR and selection based on other criteria

New Academic and Non-Academic Selection Criteria into Victorian Initial Teacher Training Programs

It is currently proposed that students will be required to meet both academic and non-academic criteria to enter teacher training straight from school. It has been reported that the minimum ATAR for 2018 entry will be 65 and for 2019 entry, the ATAR will be 70. It appears that a number of Universities will be using the Canadian system CASPer to assist with the non-academic selection process that involves students responding using a Webcam to 3 open-ended questions based on a scenario. Registration for CASPer will be managed as part of the VTAC application system. Further information will be provided to interested students during the year as the details are confirmed and there are a number of alternate pathways for students below these published ATARS that also do not add any additional time on to the years of study. 

New Animal Related Careers Day at the RSPCA

Students interested in a career related to working with animals are invited to book for the Careers Day at the RSPCA and there are limited places. The day will include speakers from different sections of the RSPCA and practical activities. For more information and to book visit: http://www.rspcavic.org/services/education/secondary-education/animal-career-discovery-day

Date:                     Wednesday 28^th June 2017

Time:                    9:00am – 3:30pm

Location:             RSPCA Burwood East 

Cost:                      $65 includes registration, morning tea, RSPCA career show bag and all activity costs.

CareerNews

The latest edition of Career News Number 9 is now available on the Portal and includes the following items that are of interest for the entire school community.

• VCE and Careers Expo 2017
• UMAT 2017
• ‘Focus on’ University of Melbourne Information Sessions
• Inside Monash Seminar Series 2017 plus New Bachelor or Media Communication in 2018
• RMIT Bachelor of Financial Planning/Accountancy Double Degree
• ACU Early Achievers’ Program (EAP)
• Why Study at Bond University?
• Summary of Agricultural Degrees

by Heather Ruckert, Careers Consultant

Fair News

The 2017 Giant Tintern Grammar Fair is over and we have all almost recovered! It was once again an exciting and fantastic day!

Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers on the Fair Committee, and especially the Fair Convenor Amanda McKenzie and Assistant Convenor Kylie Spears. Your dedication, expertise and tireless efforts were instrumental in ensuring the success of the 2017 Fair.

We would also like to extend a thank you to everyone who volunteered; whether in the many hours of preparation for the Fair, on the day itself in any number of important roles, or in the tidy up afterwards – without your support events of this greatness would not be possible.

An Invitation to the Fair Reveal and Thank You Evening

When:   Wednesday May 10, 2017
Time:     7:00 – 8:30pm
Venue:  CM Wood Common Room (next to the CM Wood Performance Centre) at Tintern Grammar
RSVP:    By Tuesday 9 May 2017 through the following link: trybooking.com/PYUY

Drinks and canapes are provided.

Literacy in the Junior School Library

During Semester 1 in the Junior School Library we have been focussing on Literacy.

Prep to Year 1 are participating in the A-Z Picture Book Challenge, created by our Library, which uses the Letterland characters to reinforce the phonetics program running in both our Junior Schools.

Year 2 to 6 are engaging in Fiction Bingo developed by the Library staff, which challenges the students to extend their reading abilities; try new authors and genres.

by the Library Team

Horse Trials

On the Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 April, Tintern Grammar held their 17th annual Horse Trials at Wandin Park Estate. Students came from all over the state to participate. There were 12 Tintern students competing for the school who all did exceptionally well. Everyone completed three phases including dressage, show jumping and cross-country.  

On Saturday night, there was a disco that everyone was welcomed to with some fun music and lots of dancing.

This event was not only individual, but riders were all apart of teams of 4 riders and the riders with the top 3 scores were the ones that counted to the team’s overall score. The Tintern girls and boys showed great sportsmanship and respected their uniform well. The horse trials was a fun event to experience whether you were competing, volunteering or spectating.

Here are just a few of the riders scores:

Charlie Johnson did a good job on an unfamiliar horse that placed 3rd

Olivia Garland competed on 2 horses and placed 12th on both

Lily Trevorrow finished 7th on her horse Ocean Coast

Ella Trevorrow placed 9th for her first competition back from a bad fall

Brooke Thompson finished 19th riding Portland boy

Grace Lloyd placed 25th

by Olivia Garland, Ella Trevorrow and Charlie Johnson

Victorian Interschools Snowsports Championships

The Victorian Interschools Snowsports Championships are being held at Mt Buller on Sunday 6 August (Cross Country) and Monday 21 to Sunday 27 August (Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding).

If your child is an experienced skier or snowboarder and they would like to compete in Cross Country, Giant Slalom, Moguls or SkierX/BoarderX please email oconstable@tintern.vic.edu.au by Friday 12 May indicating your interest in the competition. We will be holding a training day in July, date to be confirmed prior to the end of Term 2.

Please note that for the competition, whilst Tintern staff will be in attendance, it is the responsibility of parents to accompany their child to the competition and make their own accommodation arrangements. We highly recommend that accommodation be booked ASAP as it is a very busy week at Mt Buller.

For event information, including the provisional timetable of event dates please visit www.vicinterschools.com.au

Duke of Edinburgh Silver and Gold awards: Adventurous Journey to the Victorian High Plains

During the first week of the April school holidays, a group 15 Year 10-12 Duke of Edinburgh students and 3 staff undertook a journey through the High plains of Victoria. The group was blessed with the most magnificent weather and spectacular scenery. The hike included crossing the Razorback to Mt Feathertop and the Mt Hotham to Falls Creek Alpine Crossing. As part of the Duke of Edinburgh program, all students are required to write a reflection about their experiences on their Adventurous journeys. Karly Rosenbrock from Year 12 writes the following:

Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing  – Reflection by Karly Rosenbrock

Looking back at the DOE hike through the high plains, I am so proud of myself. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and contributed to my newfound love for hiking. Through this hike, I have really consolidated my love for the outdoors, and discovered hiking to be one of the best ways to experience the beauty of nature first hand.

The 13 students who participated in the hike were Phoebe Bridgford, Niamh Lewin, Joel Williams, Mitchell Wooller, Jimmy Cox, Stefan Bennett, Belinda Rees, Ada Chen, Abi Baker (The Knox School), Piper Blake (Yarra Valley Grammar), Gemma Bettess, Emily Evans and myself.  We began with 2 other Year 10 students who, unfortunately, were unable to complete the hike due to injury.

The accompanying teachers for the entire hike were Ms Bortolussi and Ms Ord, as well as Jannick Koop who is a university student studying Outdoor Education. Ms Constable drove us to the first campsite, stayed the first night with us, then, when we set off for our hike, drove the bus to Falls Creek where we would finish on the Friday. 

Day 1: Monday, 3 April 2017

We met down at the farm on Monday morning at 7.30am. We did final checks for group gear, introduced everyone and loaded our packs into the trailer.

From the beginning of the bus ride, I knew I was going to have a good time. Everyone was in such a good mood, and got along really well. Students that I would not usually speak to introduced themselves and we had a good laugh on the way. We drove stopping only for toilet breaks and a slightly longer lunch break. As a group, we navigated for Ms Constable, giving her directions for when she would need to turn etc.

We arrived at Harrietville Caravan Park around 2.30pm. We set up the tents, and then gathered together for group discussion. We discussed different safety hazards, weather conditions and what would be required of us in the coming days. After some time relaxing, we began preparation for a group barbeque. Everyone collaborated to cook the meat and prepare the vegetables. This was a good initial group activity as it made us work together, encouraging conversation and collaboration between people who might not usually socialise. Although we didn’t hike on the first day, we were still quite tired. We had some funny conversations at the campfire, mainly led by Phoebe, who has the best sense of humour! Then we all headed to bed, in preparation for the big day we knew would be coming for us the following morning.

Day 2: Tuesday, 4 April 2017

We had an early rise to a very cold morning. It was quite relaxed this morning and we were not too rushed. We packed up our tent and packs. It was slightly annoying that the tent was wet even though there was no rain due to condensation. However, Ms Bortolussi had very intelligently bought plastic bags which we could put the outer cover in, so that our inner tent did not get wet when we packed it up. The 3-man tent was not very difficult to set up or take down, which made each morning and night much easier for our group. We worked together efficiently to deal with the tent, meaning that we had more time each night and morning to relax.

Ms Constable drove us to the starting point of our hike near the summit of Mt Hotham, and off we went across the Razorback to Mt Hotham. Within the first 400m I face planted! I think this was just because I was not used to the weight of my pack and had not packed it in the most effective way. I did cut my knee, but Ms Ord helped to bandage it up, and stop the bleeding. It was only a small cut, and didn’t affect me for the rest of the hike. The fall was just a bit of a shock!

Not long after, one of the group members seriously rolled her ankle. She decided that she could not complete the hike, so we took a very long break for her to walk back to the bus and be taken home. Although this was frustrating for the rest of the group, we were grateful that the injury occurred close to the beginning of the hike, as it made transportation back to the bus fairly easy. The long break also gave me a chance to re-pack my pack. With the help of Abi, Ms B and Jannick, my pack was adjusted and it felt much better for the rest of the hike!

The loss of time from the long break, motivated the group to move quickly through the rest of the hike. We moved quite efficiently, tackling hills and steep downhills by encouraging each other and concentrating closely on our footing. The first day hike was challenging for me, as I was still getting used to hiking. Additionally, I was carrying all my food for the week and 2L of water, which made my pack very heavy!! However, I pushed through and tried my best to encourage others when they were struggling. Sometimes it was frustrating when people would fall behind and we had to wait for them, when all I wanted to do was get to the campsite. However, over the course of the camp I learned to build tolerance, and change my negative energy to positive energy of encouragement and motivation for others who may have been struggling with the physical aspects of the hike. It was often easy to forget that perhaps I had a fitness level different to others. I had to remember to continuously remind myself of this, to ensure that I did not expect too much of others, and stayed humble.

We arrived at Federation Hut at approximately 3.30pm, setting our tents up quickly. We needed to walk for 45 minutes to collect water, as the tank at the hut was empty. There were other campers that had set up in the hut with all of their supplies. Jannick alerted us to the fact that this was not actually allowed as the hut was to be used in emergencies only. So we walked in there confidently to use the fire, and watched as they slowly moved out the cabin. This was quite funny, as we made clear conversations between us about the purpose of the hut, emphasising loudly so they would hear that you were not actually allowed to camp in there unless it was an emergency.

Day 3: Wednesday, 5 April 2017

On the Wednesday, some of the group got up extra early so we could hike Mt Feathertop to see the sunrise. I am so glad I did this as it was one of the most beautiful views of my entire life, and I loved the freedom of hiking up the mountain without a pack! Although it was absolutely freezing and a steep hike up, I would, 100% do it again if I got the opportunity to, and would strongly recommend it to anyone else. Following this morning expedition, we came back to camp for breakfast.

We were all quite nervous, as this day was built up to be the most difficult day of hiking. However, over the course of the day, with regular breaks, I managed to make it through alive! The most challenging part of that day was the very steep downhill, as it was very taxing on the knees and ankles. This was also the day, where the other Year 10 student hurt his ankle and decided he could not go on. This caused a delay in our trip, but luckily, the situation was made a lot easier when some electricity workers came by in their car, and were able to drive him back to Mt Beauty where he could be picked up.

Due to this delay, we had to pump out the last kilometers very quickly in order to reach Dibbins Hut campsite in time. This was very hard for us as the track was very steep. We were all dripping in sweat and struggling to finish, however, with lots of encouragement, we all managed to make it. I made another satisfying and warming dinner, and after a group meeting around the campfire, we all went to bed, absolutely exhausted.

Day 4: Thursday, 6 April 2017

We all woke up at around 7am this morning, so had a bit of a sleep in! We woke up to Easter eggs that the teachers had put around the campsite. We were all very appreciative, especially considering that they had been carrying an extra 2kg of chocolate around with them since the beginning of the hike. Today was also Niamh’s birthday so it was obviously going to be a good day.

The biggest challenge for me was dealing with the cold. This morning was the coldest I had ever been in my entire life, and no matter how many layers I put on, I felt chilled to the bone. However I forced myself to deal with it, and kept on moving to try and distract myself. This morning, one of the group members fainted. This was very shocking to all of us but being the tough cookie she is, she just got up and got ready to go again!

We set off for that day’s hike across the high plains towards Falls Creek and Cope Hut. Although the beginning was quite steep and we had to take many breaks, I loved the challenge! Through this hike I noticed how much I really do love the difficult parts of the hike, as I love to feel the burn in my legs, and push through the pain!! Once we reached the top of the mountain, it was all very flat. The views were amazing and the surrounding plains stretched as far as the eye could see. This was very different to the mountains we had been hiking through the previous day, so it was nice to change it up! We also saw a herd of wild brumbies in the distance.

At lunchtime, we all sang happy birthday to Niamh, and surprised her with a cake. It was great to see her so happy, and I think this was a bonding moment for the entire group, as we came together in celebration.

The campsite for Thursday night, Cope Hut, was my favourite of all the campsites. It had incredible views and allowed us to hike up a mountain to watch the sunset. That night was my favourite night of all. We gathered by the fire in the hut, and Ms Bortolussi surprised us with sparklers. That night was filled with so many laughs, and I really felt like I got to know everyone in the group much better.

Day 5: Friday, 7 April 2017

The final day of hiking! We all got up at 5am to leave at 6am, as we knew we had 16km to cover, before getting back to the bus (parked at the dam wall at Falls Creek) and driving to lunch in Myrtleford at Lupos Kiln Café. We had a small snack in the morning before heading off, so that we could have breakfast a bit further on into the walk. The walk was long, but easy, and no one really struggled with it. I had some great chats with people I would not usually talk to, and we all enjoyed reflecting on what an incredible week it had been.

By the time we reached the bus at 11am, we were all exhausted but so proud to have finally completed the hike. After changing into some fresh clothes and comfy shoes, I felt refreshed and my feet were finally free of hiking boots! We were all thankful for the long bus ride to lunch, as it gave us a chance to rest our legs. I was proud to have selected the lunch location, as it was a huge success and everyone loved the food.

After lunch, it was a 4-hour ride until we finally got back to Tintern. The bus ride was a mixture of fun and sleep, which is usually the case on the way back from camps. We got back to school at around 7pm, and all collaborated to pack away the group gear, clean tranjias and hang up the tents. I was very excited to get back home that night to my shower and my bed, however will never forget the incredible week I had!

Overall…

The camp was one of the best experiences of my life, and I would highly recommend it to others in the future. I got to know new people and built up my own self-confidence and belief in my ability. I also developed my tolerance and learned to accept others weaknesses, transforming negative energy to positive energy of encouragement.

I can now confidently say that I would be able to organise and go on my own hike independently of the teachers. Through my practice and qualifying journeys, I have very much improved my abilities to deal with challenges that may come up. I have also learned many tips and tricks, which are very useful when hiking. 

by Karly Rosenbrock, Year 12

TOGA Golf Team: Bridesmaids Again!

TOGA Golf Team: Bridesmaids Again! 

Tintern Golf Team, L to R: Sue Semmens (Class of 1978), Deb Guilmartin (Bell Class of 1991), Lyn Coutie (Stevenson Class of 1970) and Melinda Thomas (Class of 1983)

Tintern came agonisingly close to winning their first Interschool Golf Challenge Cup, losing to Fintona by 2 points on Monday 3 April 2017. The 88^th running of this event, this year at Kew Golf Club, saw our team of Sue Semmens, Deb Guilmartin, Lyn Coutie and Melinda Thomas make a valiant attempt to bring the Cup home for Tintern for the first time, having tied for third place last year!! Newest recruit Lyn had a great 36 points, giving her runner-up in the Nell Goff trophy, but our aggregate team score of 121 points fell just short of Fintona’s 123 points. Perhaps next year…

For further information and photos from the event please select here.

Key Dates

Saturday 22 April – Wednesday 24 May – 2016 – 2017 Years 7 – 11 Annual Visual Art & Design Show. Visual Art Gallery. 8.30AM – 4.30PM. Learn more.

Sunday 7 May – Cathedral Service. St Paul’s Cathedral. 2.30PM – 3.30PM.

Monday 8 May – International Baccalaureate Information Evening. CM Wood Performance Centre. 7.30PM – 9.00PM. Register here.

Friday 12 May – Junior Schools Mothers’ Day Breakfast. CM Wood Performance Centre. 7.30AM – 8.30AM. Register here.

Thursday 18 May – Tintern Grammar Careers Night. CM Wood Performance Centre. 7.00PM – 8.30PM. Register here.

Saturday 27 May – Tintern Grammar Jazz Night. CM Wood Performance Centre. 7.00PM. Book here.

More dates can be found on the Tintern Grammar website and in the upcoming Aspectus.