From the Principal

Service, Support and The Poverty Project

At Tintern Grammar, if we are not careful, service and support is too easy for our students and our staff to take for granted. For many years, the Southwood Parents’ Club and the Tintern Association have worked tirelessly to assist students, staff and the community in an enormous range of ways. Their cheerful and energetic support of the Fair, Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day events, the Presentation Ball, end of year mango sales, the Junior Schools’ graduation event support and seemingly a million other things are easy to take for granted.

These activities have always involved the two support groups either operating independently for boys’ or girls’ events, or pooling their resources for co-educational events. Thursday 19 May marked the historical day when our two parent groups decided that the students of Tintern would be better served by a single parent group and the two groups collectively took the plunge to make it happen! On that night, both groups courageously, and with trust in each other, agreed to dissolve their associations and to throw their combined resources in to the new Tintern Parents’ Group, our combined parent support group.

As Tintern Grammar, we are one school and appropriately, we now have a single parent association. I offer the school’s and my thanks to Loraine Allender and Amanda McKenzie as the presidents of the two former support associations, on their courage, diplomacy and foresight in working together to make this happen for our students. We currently have a committee of thirteen parents, with a capacity of 18, and I know that the executive are keen to hear from other parents of boys or girls at any level in the school who would like to serve on the committee, or to offer assistance with activities.

Can I ask you to consider whether you too could offer some aspect of service to the school? This could be done in many ways, and we would be very grateful for your commitment and contribution, but more importantly, you would have a significant positive effect on the school life our students (and your child!) enjoy. Interested families can contact Mrs Di Lacey, our Community Relations Development Manager (dlacey@tintern.vic.edu.au or by calling the school on 9845-7777).

Speaking of service, every now and then, if you are lucky, you get to meet a genuinely remarkable person. So often this person does not see themselves this way and in this at least, Alex Wakeley conforms to type!

Alex is a recent Tintern Old Girl and has been the leader, facilitator, mentor, guidance counsellor, odd job completer and general “I’ll do whatever has to be done” person for our small but committed Social Justice group at Tintern Grammar. Alex is a volunteer, a full-time tertiary student herself and her passion for social justice is the fire that keeps this group burning.

The students who are fortunate enough to be part of the Social Justice group see a role model who is selfless, has an amazing work ethic and is committed to making life better for other people – what an impressive example to set for others!

Last Saturday night, the Social Justice group created, organised and conducted the Poverty Project Trivia night. This was a night to raise funds for the Sunflower Foundation, a foundation that is committed to empowering young women in third world countries through education and support. The cause is irresistible and so are the attitudes of Alex and the many Tintern students who made this all happen. We all had a terrific time and through raffles, door prizes, silent auctions and many other tools, the group raised over $2000 for the Sunflower Foundation – an amazing effort!

Community contribution and service are seen as very much 21^st Century attributes. Educational futurists I have read believe that the causes of the future will be causes for others, not self – if so, our community is developing and supporting some very successful entrepreneurs, who I am sure will find both great success and also great fulfilment in their futures!

Factis non Verbis

Bradley Fry
Principal

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

Music Matters

CM Wood Performance Centre filled to capacity at Annual Jazz Night

Jazz Night has once again proven to be an exciting event, with plenty of lively jazz music provided for our capacity crowd of students, teachers and parents to enjoy. The Intermediate and Senior Jazz Bands, Senior Chamber Choirs (renamed ‘The Crooners’ and ‘The Choo Choo Singers’ for the event) and the Concert Choir (a.k.a. ‘The Gang of Groovers’) provided some sparkling entertainment during the evening. The New Melbourne Jazz Band returned to Tintern as our special guests, providing some magnificent music which had plenty of people up and on the dance floor. There were also lucky squares and silent auction prizes to bid for, which provided additional entertainment. Former Music Director Ron Trigg was also welcomed, and he presented the Annual Ron Trigg Jazz Musician Award at the conclusion of the event. Congratulations must go to Rory Shepherd in Year 12, who was the deserving recipient of this prestigious award. An especially big thank you to the parents in the Friends of Music Committee, who brought the whole event to fruition. It certainly was a memorable and most enjoyable evening for all those fortunate enough to attend.

by Corey Robinson, Year 12 Music Captain

House Music

After the many long hours of rehearsing for all the senior students, the House Singing competition turned out to be a great success.  The theme this year was ‘Classic Songs: pre-80s’ and all of the houses put a lot of effort into learning the set song, ‘The Timewarp’ from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, as well as their choice songs. The performances were all astounding and all the hard work and time that was spent rehearsing definitely paid off for the Houses. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner. Congratulations to Butterss-Cross for winning this year’s House Singing. It was a well deserved victory! Special thanks to all the staff who helped organise and support the Houses and the House Co-ordinators and House leaders who made the whole process leading up to the event run so smoothly.

by Annie Chou, Music Captain

Small Ensembles Concert

On Thursday evening 19 May, we enjoyed an hour and a half of spectacular music performed by nine different ensembles at the Small Ensembles Concert in the CM Wood Performance Centre. It was wonderful to hear the performances and exceptional talents of the students from both the Middle School and Senior College. We were treated to a diverse selection of repertoire ranging from well-known Baroque pieces, to Jazz ensemble music and renditions of famous theme songs. It was a great opportunity for all students to have the chance to perform in smaller ensembles in front of an appreciative and supportive crowd. We would especially like to thank all of the many music teachers who assisted in organising this concert and making it possible. It certainly was an enjoyable evening for both the performers and the audience.

by Alison Yang, School Pianist, Year 12

Community Matters

 Jazz Night Friends of Music

Congratulations to our Friends of Music group who contributed to yet another sensational Jazz Night. More than 300 people from our Tintern community came out to enjoy some toe tapping vintage jazz and enjoy some wonderful music by our very talented students and the New Melbourne Jazz Band.

Friends of Music would like to thank everyone in the school community – students, parents, families, friends and staff – who came along and supported another happy and successful Jazz Night. The atmosphere was fabulous and everyone had a great time. The performances were amazing. All funds raised will be used to continue our support of the fantastic and hardworking music department and the work they do with our students. Thanks to everyone who attended. 

Friends of Music would also like to thank the individuals and businesses who supported our Silent Auction at Jazz Night. The products and services they donated helped raise funds which contributed to the success of Jazz Night. Please support the following businesses in thanks for their support of Friends of Music Jazz Night:

• Altair Restaurant, 152 Yarra Street, Warrandyte, Ph: 9844-5548
• Beauty@Home, 10 Brook Place, Ringwood North, Ph: 9876-3432 or 0425-267-895
• Andrea’s A.C.E. Driving Academy, 9879-9691 or 0409-424-436
• Xtreme Lashes, 1-877-BIG-LASH (244-5274) or www.xtremelashes.com
• Punt Road Winery, 10 St Huberts Road, Coldstream 9739-0666
• Encore Restaurant, Hotel Grand Chancellor Melbourne, 131 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne 9656-4000
• Home Personal Assistants, Ph: 0412-237-550 or homepersonalassistants@mail.com
• Louise Schultze Artistry, Ph: 0414-817-136
• Body Shop

140 Year Celebrations in 2017 – we need your help

We are assembling a working group for thoughts and ideas on how we can celebrate the School’s 140 years in 2017 and we would be delighted to hear from our parents. If you feel you have the skills and the inclination to be involved we would love to have you on board. Please contact Di Lacey in the Community relations office on 9845 7877 or email communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au for more information or to register your interest.

Year Level Functions

Year 7 Girls: Some of the Year 7 Mothers and Daughters celebrated Mother’s Day a little early with a lovely afternoon tea at Warran Glen Cafe.  It was a great opportunity for some of the newer and older Tintern families to meet one another and for the girls to mingle outside of school.  

Following this event, the whole Year 7 parent cohort were given an opportunity to come together for a morning tea at Chapter Too café in Heathmont. A great turnout provided an opportunity for parents to meet others and compare notes so far. Thank you to Kesta Fleming for organising this opportunity. Kesta is looking for other volunteers to assist her with other Year 7 parent and student social opportunities. If you are interested or would like to find out more please contact her on kestafleming@optusnet.com.au or 0409 826 734 or email the community relations office at communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au

Thank you to all our parent representatives who have organised  wonderful events so far. Please continue to support their efforts when you can.

Parent representatives also help to keep parents informed of class/school gatherings (i.e. Community Relations and/or your class teacher may contact you asking you to help promote an event).  Parent Representatives will be notified of upcoming school events through the Community Relations Office and are also encouraged to periodically check in with your the classroom teacher to see if there are any upcoming classroom events to promote or assist with. If this sounds like something you’d like to be a part of, please contact our Parent Rep Co-ordinator, Jessica Adam on 0423 223 296 or jessicaladam@gmail.com

Entertainment book 2016/2017

The NEW 2016 | 2017 Entertainment™ Book and Digital Memberships are available now and are packed with thousands of up to 50% OFF and 2-for-1 offers.  From every Membership we sell, 20% of the proceeds go towards our parent groups fundraising goal for Tintern Grammar – so please forward this email to all your family and friends!

If you prefer not to pay online you can download the order form here from the Portal and return to the Community Relations office and collect your book.  For more information please refer to the community news on the Tintern portal or contact the Community Relations Office. You can click here to have a look at what is inside. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Friends of Young Farmers Dinner Friday 3 June

The Friends of Young Farmers have a restaurant booking on Friday 3 June at 7.00pm at Emperor Court Chinese Restaurant, 370 Mitcham Road Mitcham. This is a social evening for both parents and children to attend. If you would like to find out more about the Friends of Young Farmers or the Tintern farm in general, please feel free to come and join us. Last year was a fun night, with many families attending, and this year is sure to be a repeat! The cost is approximately $40 per head for a set 7 course banquet including dessert and coffee, or alternatively you may order from the menu. A small corkage charge applies for BYO. Please RSVP by Wednesday 1 June to Cathy Forbes  rcforbes@ozemail.com.au or Di Lacey at school on 9845 7877 communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au. The more the merrier!

Introducing Tintern’s new Parents Group

On Thursday 19 May The Tintern Association and the Southwood Parents Club voted to dissolve the current parent groups and form a unified parent group representing parents and friends across the whole of Tintern Grammar.

The Tintern Association together with the Southwood Parents club have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to our school but more importantly it has built on Tintern’s resounding community spirit that will take the new combined parents group well into the future. No dollar value can be placed on the worth of community spirit and unity. Thank you to all the parents and friends who willingly give their time, energy and effort into different activities around Tintern Grammar to enhance and enrich the experience for our current and future students. The school and parent committees would like to thank and acknowledge the altruistic contribution from Rev. John Capper, Deputy Chair of the Board and Chair of the Tintern Family Association Board. John has assisted and guided the two groups and the school to achieve this outcome specialising in ensuring all governance and legal requirements have been adhered to.

A special thank you is extended to our retiring committee members who have decided not to continue on the new committee.

Amanda McKenzie – has been part of the Tintern community since 2005 when her eldest daughter, Annabelle commenced in Pre-Prep. Amanda has been on the TTA committee for the past eleven years and has been president for nearly nine of those years. Amanda is well known for her positiveness and calm leadership abilities which has led many events and activities to successful fruition. Amanda still hopes to be available to help out around the school and we are hoping she will continue to be an integral part of the FAIR committee.

Kylie Spears – started life at Tintern in 2006 when her eldest daughter, Caitlin began Year 7. Kylie continued to be a valued member of TTA even after her youngest daughter, Aimee finished Year 12 in 2013. Kylie is a key member of our Presentation Ball and Fair committee, which she will continue to be a part of. Kylie is well known for her infectious laugh and her professional and thorough working style which gets things done.

Melissa Millett – joined our community when her son, Jacob started in Pre-Prep in 2011. In May 2012 Melissa joined the Southwood Parents club as secretary and has been a committed active member for the last 4 years. Melissa can be commended for her attention to detail and we hope Melissa will continue to be a part of the events and activities the new parent group will continue to offer.

Toni Cazaz – joined the Tintern Association in 2012 and has been an active member supporting all of the group’s activities and events. Toni is well known for her enthusiastic character who has always been willing to assist with any task given to her. We hope to continue to see Toni at our community events and thank her for her contributions.

Cathy Davidson – who is also a past student, started her son in Year 7 at Southwood in 2013. Cathy has been a part of both parent groups as a parent and friend since 2013. It has been a wonderful asset to receive Cathy’s insight as a parent and a past student and we thank her for her commitment to both groups over this period of time.

Thank you to the outgoing committees and congratulations to the new incoming committee who head up this new chapter in Tintern’s history.

Tintern Parents Group (TPG)

President: Loraine Allender
Vice presidents: Jessica Adam & Kate Jones
Secretary: Clare Jensen
Assistant secretary: Roshini Higgins
Treasurer: Ruby Nagendran
Committee members: Lisa Robson, Katy Brumley, Michael Love, Leeza Crowe, Lee Elliott-Bruce & Haidee Wallace

If you would like to find out more about this dynamic team of volunteers and how you can contribute please contact Di Lacey in the Community Relations office on 9845 7877 or email communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au

Photo Albums; new and old for your children’s school photos

You will now have received your SchoolPix photos so why not buy a photo album large enough to hold them and other certificates and results your child collects during their years at school? The parents group have a limited number of navy and maroon old style photo plbums to offer at a reduced price of $60. These albums feature the old school name (Tintern Schools) printed in gold on the front cover and come complete with 10 transparent 30cm x 30cm sheet inserts albums. The parents group are currently upgrading the album design to reflect the new Tintern Grammar name and logo and these will be available later in Term 2 to purchase.  Download an order form here and forward to the Community Relations Office for processing.

Tintern Grammar Fair 2017

Do you have any new ideas that could make our next Fair an even bigger success than before? Are you interested in being a part of the dynamic team of individuals who plan the Fair and create the fun for our community? If you are keen to be involved in any way, please contact our the community relations office on 9845 7877 or email fair@tintern.vic.edu.au

Community Committee dates

• Tintern Parent Group (TPG) – Next meeting: Thursday 26 May 7.30pm CM Wood Common room. President: Loraine Allender
• Friends of Music (FOM) – Next Meeting: Tuesday 7 June 7.00pm CM Wood Common room President: Tim Oldmeadow
• Friends of Young Farmers (FOYF) – Next meeting: Tuesday 14 June 7.30pm Kennedy Cottage, Community services. President: Joy Ashfield              
• Friends of Equestrian (FOE) – Next meeting AGM; Tuesday 14 June 7.30pm CM Wood Common room. President: Kevin Jones

Sport Matters

The power of ten – ‘Decathlon’

Congratulations to Gary Haasbroek, Year 12 who recently competed in the Australian Athletic Combined Events Championships in Brisbane and won the National U/18 Decathlon Title. Gary has only recently switched to Decathlon and won the Victorian U/18 Title earlier this year at his first attempt. Gary also set new EISM records in the Open Long Jump and 100m Hurdles at the recent Division 2 carnival.

The decathlon is a gruelling event with five events scheduled on two successive days. Day 1 consists of 100m, Long Jump, Shot Put, High Jump and 400m. Day 2 consists of 110m Hurdles, Discus, Pole Vault, Javelin and 1500m.

Gary is juggling the demands of VCE with his athletic training and hopes to qualify for the IAAF World Youth Championships next year.

EISM Athletics Champions Meet

Congratulations to all 39 students who competed in the EISM Athletics Champions Meet at Lakeside Stadium on Monday 9^th May. Tintern students won 25 medals against the best athletes from Divisions 1, 2 & 3, which was a fantastic performance considering a further 6 students missed the opportunity to compete when all high jump was cancelled due to bad weather conditions. Lorna Clark, Kirsty Clark, Matthew Xu, Corey Robinson, Anjali Lobo, Sophie Cookes and Erin Doupe performed exceptionally on the day and our Open Girls Relay – 1^st and U/14 Boys Relay – 2^nd also performed well. Lorna Clark broke the all-time EISM Girls Open 1500m record in an amazing performance. Congratulations Lorna.

Explorer’s day

On Tuesday 26^th March the Year 3s and 4s spent a day as Explorers. We went down to the farm and met some Year 9 and 10 helpers and our partners. My partner was Elijah and our helper was Chev.

We started to put up our tents and we were one of the first to finish so we had a chance to relax a little bit. Then Mrs Sparkes yelled, “Coo-eee”. That meant we had to go over to her. Mrs Sparkes said, “Let’s go find some sticks for the damper.” So off we went for some sticks. I found two good sticks so I gave one to Aaron.

Next we went inside and made some damper. When we were finished we wrapped the damper around a stick and started to cook the damper over the fire. My damper was undercooked so I had to cook it some more. Eventually it was right and it tasted pretty good.

Next we went on a treasure hunt. We got into our groups and my leader was Emily. We started at a bridge and we found our first clue was where the paths met. It was great fun!

Mr Bonnyman suddenly announced sadly, “I’m sorry boys but all our lunches were stolen by cheeky animals!” Fortunately we learned that an earlier party had buried some food somewhere west of the bridge. It was just like the Burke and Wills story. Brady found the food and we made stew and billy tea. I didn’t try the stew but I tried the tea. The billy tea was really beautiful.

We then had lunch and took a piece of charcoal and paper and we drew some plants. We had to write down some things that involved nature. I teamed up with Brady.

Now it was time to go home. I had a fantastic time down at the farm.

by Nicholas Waddington, Year 4

The da Vinci Decathlon

The da Vinci Decathlon is always a wonderful event for the students in particular, but also for the teachers who attend. During the training leading up to the day, and on the day of the event, the excitement the students feel is tangible, and I know this is one of those events the students will remember for a long time. Knowing that during the Decathlon sessions the students will be significantly intellectually challenged, exposed to ten disciplines in one day, working under pressure for time – with people they haven’t worked with for long – and will be ‘thinking on their feet’ in creative situations, is very satisfying for an educator. Both teams worked wonderfully well throughout the whole process and appeared to thoroughly enjoy the experience. For the first time in my time taking teams to da Vinci, one of our teams – Tintern Red – has made it to State Finals! This team won first place in both the Mathematics and Science disciplines, and will return to MLC on Tuesday 24 May to compete. We wish them all the best.

by Anthea Watkins, Horizon Centre Co-ordinator

Boys and their play

Wander through our Boys’ Junior School playground, and you can’t miss the creative, unique and much loved ‘cubbies’ built by many of our boys. While these are a great source of fun, the boys are probably unaware that the building of them, and playing in them, is helping their development.

We know that boys love to use their hands, and kinaesthetic play is important for them, and Danish research has shown that  giving children the space to take supervised risks and explore boundaries results in them demonstrating greater social capability, having fewer days off sick, more ability to concentrate and better co-ordination…”

In Britain, there is a surge of new Early Childhood  Centres being designed based on the Denmark Forest Kindergarten model, where natural, ‘unstructured’ play has developmental benefits. Many experts say the need for such outdoor play has never been more urgent: a report last month revealed British children are among the most housebound and screen addicted in the world, with three in four spending less time outdoors than the recommended daily period of outdoor exercise for prisoners – and more than half being unable to identify a British oak tree.

When on duty, watching the boys carry their sticks and delicately stack them on the cubby roofs, I do feel like saying “Be careful”, or ‘watch out”…but that would be making them feel that the play is dangerous, and restricting their own development of care and independence…watching from ‘afar’, while still ensuring everyone is safe, and allowing them to learn and interact without a teacher ‘helicoptering’ over them is far more satisfying!

Growth Mindset

In our Junior School assemblies, we continue to talk about developing and displaying a Positive Growth Mindset.

Dr  Carol Dweck, a Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of motivation, believes that talent and skills aren’t the only elements of success. A major factor is whether we have what she calls a “fixed” mindset or a “growth” mindset.

Those with a fixed mindset believe their intelligence, qualities and abilities are set in stone, but they have an urgency to prove those qualities over and over. The main goal is to appear smart and capable and to avoid failure at all costs. When these people do fail, they view it as a direct measure of their competence and self-worth. People with a fixed mindset are often overly sensitive to appearing wrong or being judged.

People with a growth mindset have another approach to life entirely. Says Dr Dweck, “In this mindset, the hand you’re dealt is just the starting point for development. This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts. Although people may differ in every which way — in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests, or temperaments — everyone can change and grow through application and experience.”

We have used our Dr Seuss theme to present conversations of a ‘Growth Mindset’ using the following ‘book’, and have displayed and discussed charts and information such as the following:…the reinforcement of a positive Growth Mindset out of school will certainly be of assistance to our boys.

Year 7 House Soccer

The ball shot towards Connor. He swatted it away to Harry, keeping the scores level. Harry passed to Lochie but his shot at goal was blocked. Mansfield McKie nonetheless won a corner. The boys lined up but the kick was poor. Undeterred, Charlie and Ash rushed at it and seconds later the ball hit the net. With two minutes remaining in the final game of the tournament, the boys in Red had taken the lead in a must-win game.

Mansfield McKie won the Year 7 House soccer tournament with their victory in the final game, snatching the lead from Somner Stewart, who had led all tournament.

Somner Stewart hit the ground running, with Dylan Cleal and Ben Bizley starring throughout the tournament. In fact, due to a comical mistake in their first game, Somner Stewart scored all three goals in their opening 2-1 win over Dann Watt. They finished the tournament with two wins and two draws.

Dann Watt held their opponents well. Fred Lever and James Manson controlled the midfield well. Aidan Gillis was especially fearless in defence and took an accidental ball to his face while blocking a penalty kick. He kept the ball out of the net to keep Dann Watt level with Butterss Cross in the final game, allowing them to finish ahead of Butterss Cross in the final standings.

Butterss Cross found their feet after a slow start. Alessandro Franco was outstanding in attack and in defence. Adam Choong was another standout for his team, especially in defence.

Gordon Grant needed a win and favourable goal difference to win in the final match. Unfortunately, Mansfield McKie snared it just before the whistle blew. Nonetheless, the team competed hard all throughout the tournament. Oliver Huang seemed to be in three places at once at all times due to his on-field presence and Will Penman was hot on the heels of opposing strikers from the very beginning.

The final placings were: 1^st Mansfield McKie, 2^nd Somner Stewart, 3^rd Gordon Grant, 4^th Dann Watt, 5^th Butterss Cross.

Congratulations to Mansfield McKie for their win! And congratulations to all boys for their wonderful effort on the day.

by Luke Mansour, English and History Teacher

Year 7 Maths Amazing Race and Geometry Festival

During a lesson on Friday 13^th our Year 7 boys and girls took part in a couple of fun and ‘different’ mathematics lessons. They had the option of joining Ms Tillyer for the Geometry Festival where they were able to really develop their understanding of geometrical shapes and properties by constructing some amazing shapes. It takes a solid understanding to be able to build geometrically correct shapes and as can be seen from the photos there were some really amazing end products. Other boys and girls involved themselves in the Amazing Race which took them in groups of 3 – 5 around the entire school answering mathematically based questions and riddles in the attempt to do so in the most accurate and quickest means. It was a lot of fun and good way to change up their maths lessons.

Year 9 Careers Session

As part of their transition into Senior College our Year 9 boys have begun a number of career orientated sessions to go along with the information sessions based around their options at school in their senior years. On Tuesday 10^th May Ms Ord from our Careers Department spoke to the boys about personalities, likes, dislikes, etc. She talked about the importance of following passions when it comes to career choice whilst still understanding the importance of balance in your approach to subjects at school. They need to now start thinking about VCE or IB or VET, university or Tafe, or apprenticeships or the workforce. Many, many options for our boys to start thinking about and to look forward to. During the session the boys also completed a task that helped them to see the different personality types that they have and to which fields of career these traits would be suited to. By no means was it suggesting to them what they will be when they grow up but it did provide them with an opportunity to think about all of the different options they will have to choose from. There will be more of these sessions throughout the year including our Pathways Evening and Subject Showcase Evening where both parents and students can find out more information.

ELC Big Breakfast

Each year the ELC has its annual Big Breakfast. Sharing a meal together is always a special thing to do and when combined with supporting others it becomes even more special. The ELC children were very excited about having breakfast at school and many parents commented that there was a much earlier start to their day with excited children waking up much earlier than usual.

This year, the focus over the last few weeks within the ELC has been quite personal for the ELC staff. The Janelle Duncan Memorial Kids Learning Centre was established in the Philippines after the death of a friend of Mrs Bissett. The children have learnt about caring for others and the importance of team work in helping others. We have made a book of the children’s artwork to send to the children at the school.

Canoe Camp

Eager to change things up from school the group of 15 boys headed on a 22 seater bus to Lake Eildon to take part in a three day canoe camp that started on the 4^th of May and ended on the 6^th of May. Beginning at The Island, we set up camp there and had an amazing campfire pizza dinner. The next day we took the canoes down to the lake and set off on a 5 km canoeing journey to our last campsite at Owens Hill. On the way there we took in the beautiful scenery around us and simply enjoyed our time, while stopping on the way to have lunch. On the last day of the camp we woke up at 6am to head out on to the water to go for a sunrise canoe. This was the most memorable part of the whole camp. I’ll never forget the sun seeping through the mountains and the leafless trees to warm me on the cold morning. What a way to end the camp. Going on a trip like this together we learnt so much about each other, and through this, we as a group became closer as friends and as classmates. We all learnt new skills, saw things we had never seen and did things we had never done. This will definitely be one of the camps that will be stuck in my mind for many years to come.

by Sahan Kaluarachchi, Year 9

Year 9 Baking By Design

One of the few practical subjects in Year 9 is Baking By Design. Students learn to understand how to work safely and hygienically in the kitchen by completing weekly cooking classes. They watch a demonstration of the recipe and replicate the process within the time of a lesson. The recipes slowly build up their cooking skills but more importantly raises their confidence in the kitchen. Recipes vary each week and students are expected to work co-operatively together to complete recipes and clean up their workspaces. Baking By Design is great way for students to experience working productively in the kitchen and possibly study VET Hospitality to allow them to be a future master chef rather than just watching it on TV.

Languages Excursions

Chinatown

The Chinese Excursion was amazing! It started with a pretty boring bus ride however when we arrived we got to have some of our snack before we went into the Chinese museum in Chinatown. When we were asked to go inside by the museum staff, we quickly packed up and went inside. Walking inside, we were greeted with amazing masks, rings and other souvenirs, the guide then met us and moved us down to the basement where she asked us questions about the gold rush and then told us about the history of the Chinese in Australia. We then moved onto the Chinese dragon which was ninety-two metres in length and covered in 6160 scales all handcrafted! We then moved onto engineering and then wood works before getting ready to go to lunch.

We then moved on to a Chinese restaurant, where we ate dim sims, spring rolls, pork and noodles. We ate for about an hour, then went to go for a walk around Chinatown. We all then divided into groups and were allowed to walk around Chinatown having a look. We went pass so many cafes, bakery’s and lots of restaurants. Eventually we all went back to the museum to get back on the bus to finish the excursion. It was a lot of fun.

by Ben Apsey, Year 8

French Excursion

As soon as we arrived at school on Wednesday the 11th of May, 44 Year 8 French students made their way by foot to Ringwood East Station. We waited for the train and excitedly boarded it. On the train the journey to Flinders street station felt as if it took no time. When we disembarked the train, it was a 100 metre walk to ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) studios which is based in Federation Square. We had a guide to show us some quick videos and talk us through the involvement of the French in the revolution of the moving image. We learnt many interesting facts, such as the Lumière brothers who were two French boys that invented the technology to make projecting film onto a large screen possible. After this we looked through the ACMI movie display section were they showed us many camera tricks used to create movies and even video games. When we had finished with ACMI we set off to the Melbourne City Library, this is where teamed up with a partner for a ‘Hidden French Laneways Tour’. During the walk, we discovered all Melbourne’s secret French connections. On our walk we also stopped at a crêperie that made some of the most delicious crêpes anyone had ever had! Everyone had a great time on the French excursion and it is definitely a great experience for all.

by James Reid, Year 8

German Excursion

On Tuesday the 10th of May the Year 8 German class were invited into the city to experience our German heritage. We arrived by train at Flinders Street Station and began our journey to the information booth at Sandridge Bridge where we were provided information about international people migrating to Australia, what different languages are spoken and how many people have migrated to Australia. The German students analysed and studied the information and wrote down the information in a German booklet that we were provided at the start. We then made our way to the restaurant, Hofbräuhaus. On our way there we walked around the city looking at some brands and buildings that were made by people of German, Austrian and Swiss descent. Some of the places we looked at was Lindt and Nescafé. As our booking approached we started to get closer to Hofbräuhaus we kept pointing out German brands and then we are finally arrived at Hofbräuhaus. We went in, sat down and our food came out pretty much instantly (we ordered before we got there). There was a schnitzel, a mixed sausage and a pasta. Easily the crowd favourite was the schnitzel but I had a bit of every meal and surprisingly every single one was great, the meals all had different tastes to it. Then there was dessert, most people didn’t think it could get any better than main but it was amazing I had apple crumble and the other choice was berry with ice cream. In the end all the German students loved the German excursion and everyone felt like they got a little taste of what it’s like in Germany.

by Alexander Jenkin, Year 8

Camelot Traffic School

Last week the Prep boys headed off on an adventure to the Camelot Traffic School, to complement their Integrated Studies topic of Transport. The program combined Road Safety Education and practical hands-on experience riding bikes or scooters around the circuit of roads at the venue. The boys loved having to stop at the red lights and go around the roundabouts. It was also a lot of fun riding through the odd puddle or 2! There was the occasional tumble, however the boys displayed great resilience and were riding around again in no time. Thank-you to the parents who were able to join us and to Mr Kenny for driving the bus.

House Music

Our Annual Secondary House Music festival, held last Tuesday, again proved to be an epic event. After many weeks of strong and inspiring leadership, our Year 12 House Captains led their Houses through energetic, last minute rehearsals, before all of our boys and girls joined together for the House presentations. Each House performed the ‘set song’, The Time Warp, in a manner that reflected creativity and spirit. The Houses then had to perform a song from this year’s theme…Timeless Classics…songs from pre-1980.

Dann Watt’s mash up of One Way Or Another and Teenage Kicks started the event with great gusto, whilst Butterss Cross followed with another ‘mash’…I’m a Survivor and I will Survive. Mansfied McKie had the audience rocking with a Grease mega mix, whilst Gordon Grant played the Shrek card with I’m a Believer. The last performance saw Somner Stewart presented a very unique version of YMCA, aiming for the three-peat.

As the judges tallied their scores, we were fortunate to have the staff duet Blabba, aka Mr Acheron and Mr Bathgate, leading the audience through a spirited and fun rendition of Mamma Mia and Dancing Queen. This was an awesome, exuberant and spirited school community moment. The final results of House Music saw Butterss Cross crowned Music Champions for 2016. Every single student who stood on stage and sang is to be commended for contributing to what was a wonderful event. Our House Captains deserve much praise and recognition for the tireless and inspiring manner in which they worked with and led their Houses.

On behalf of the school, I thank Isabella Cosentino, Meredith Wykes, Joshua Coulson and Harry Dettman (Butterss Cross); Cassandra Jones, Lydija-Marie Sango, Alex Dillon and Aaron Drew (Dan Watt); Sheridan van Gelderen, Ali Woodall, Dillon Bettess and Nick Elliott (Grant Gordon); Emma Astin, Tamara Molnar, Gary Haasbroek and Jake Hill (Mansfield McKie); and Madison Button, Sarah Lloyd, Jack Church and Connor Reidy (Somner Stewart) for their outstanding leadership that led to a wonderful event.

Mother’s Day celebration

We took a very different approach with our Mother’s Day celebration this year. Focusing on the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) the mums worked with their daughters on three different and at times challenging activities. iPads were used to record each activity and later used to create a book about the special morning. It was wonderful to see mums and girls stepping out of their comfort zone and taking a ‘have-a-go’ approach. The STEM subjects provide the perfect vehicle for encouraging a problem solving approach to learning and assist in building resilient learners. Who knows which of these girls may feel inspired to follow a pathway toward becoming a scientist or an engineer, a mathematician or indeed in the ever evolving area of technology? Thanks to all the mums for joining in with energy and a positive attitude. You really deserved the homemade treats your daughters served to you at the conclusion of our morning!

Prep class comments

We liked picking up things with the magnets. They picked up metal and connected them to the magnets.

We had to race to build a tower with pasta and marshmallows in Engineering.

Year 1 class comments

We had to guess how many marbles were in the jar. Our mum’s measured how long we were with small matchsticks! We found out at morning tea that Taylor and Eylul with their mums won the guessing the marbles competition. There were 68 marbles in the jar! We loved the big day!

We discovered that some magnets repel and some attract. We made our own magnets by scraping a big nail 60 times on a magnet. We had fun when we moved the little magnets on top of the table with a big magnet under the table. We could make the little car move and the person dance!

Year 2 class comments:

The magnets activity was interesting. Mum and I liked learning which metals were magnetic.

My Mummy was very good at the Tower Building Challenge.

I liked it when Mum and I measured each other, My Mum was being very funny!

I liked building the spaghetti tower. We learned how to be a really good group together.

Our Mums were in a team with us to build a tower for a giant marshmallow. We came second! It was tricky, but lots of fun.

In conclusion Year 1 said:

Mother’s Day was fantastic! We made … coconut chocolate balls. The other grades made lemon slice and yummy muffins. We served it to our mummies! We had the best morning together!

New Flags

Our very responsible and vigilant Flag Captain Keira Vandenbroek would like you to know if anyone has noticed the brand new Australian and Aboriginal Flags fluttering in the breeze? They were recently replaced after damage was incurred during the week of very strong winds and blustery weather. Did you know that it is considered undignified to fly a torn or damaged flag?

Keira has prepared a few other facts about flags for you to contemplate:

Did you know that the three colours of the Aboriginal flag have significant meanings? The black refers to the Aboriginal people of Australia, the red refers to the earth and the yellow circle is the sun. This should be handy when trying to remember which side is up.

Did you know that a sign of respect for the flag is not to let it touch the ground?

Next time you walk past the flag poles, spare a minute to admire our National Flag and the Aboriginal Flag.

by Karen Dang, Year 6 Teacher

Canberra Camp

Chatting to animated comrades on the spacious bus to Canberra. We were enraptured by our surroundings and learned many more things about old and new friends. Our stops at the Murray River and the Dog on the Tuckerbox (Gundagai) enlightened our minds as to the loyalty of a best friend and the royalties of a good reputation! Amber

A jaw-dropping experience and fact-filled galleries at Questacon. Sometimes there are new and extremely interesting galleries. This time they were spiders, and everybody knows that spiders give me the collie wobbles. Lucy

National Museum of Australia is on one of the points of Lake Burley Griffin. The museum used to be a hospital and had some interesting stories that I enjoyed. In Autumn, Bogong Moths would fly up to the mountains and the Aborigines would make a fire, catch the moths, cook, and eat them because they were high in protein. Reese

Buried where they died, all alone, those who lost their lives to protect our country. 102,000 Australian men and women buried, scattered, all around the globe. At the War Memorial we were honoured to place a poppy of blood by a name on the Role of Honour. 

Bus trips each day, listening closely to Mark’s (the Royal Bus Driver) commentary as we drove past different land marks in Canberra. Having fun rushing to fill out our camp books as we drove past the international Embassies in Yarralumla. Aleisha and Maddie

Eagerly consuming as much knowledge as we can. The exhibits at all the venues we visited were packed to the brim with information for us to swallow. Ella

Reflecting, while gazing in the Pool of Remembrance, deep in thought. At the War Memorial, I felt like I was in a temple of soldiers standing strong altogether, in peace. Emma

Reading the letters we wrote to ourselves on our last night at camp. We had written things we were nervous about before coming and some goals that we set for ourselves. Afterwards I enjoyed burning the letter in the campfire to acknowledge that I had conquered my goals. Tahlia

Arriving back home from Canberra after a 10 hour drive. Listening to music and thinking about the exciting week it has been! I couldn’t wait to get home and see my family (including my 2 dogs). It had been the most fun week spending time at different places such as the War Memorial and the Royal Australian Mint with all my friends. Thank you to everyone who made it special. Elise

Year 6A Acrostic Poem

Camping at Warrambui was fun, enjoyable and exciting. It was fun because of the setup of the dome, the food was great and almost like home, it was exciting because of all the space to explore particularly the bush land.

Arriving at Warrambui after a 10 hour bus trip. We were relieved to finally arrive at Warrambui our home for the week.

Navigating our way around Canberra and all the places we visited; like the National Exhibition Centre, Parliament House, the National Museum, the War Memorial, Questacon, Old Parliament House and all the other fun places we hope to visit on a return visit one day.

Busy being in the moment with no time to miss my family or wanting to go back home

Eating up the delicious meals and desserts we had every night at Warrambui and savouring the yummy s’mores by the camp fire.

Robots at the Royal Australian Mint were working in the factories to make all the money in Australia. Titan, Penny and Robbie were crowd favourites.

Relishing the role play at the Parliamentary Education Office and recalled how we spoke confidently whilst pretending to be Senators.

Absolutely thankful to all the teachers who planed this wonderful trip. It was great to be able to spend time together and learn about our federal government.

We hope you enjoy reading our reflections.

by Karen Dang, Year 6 Teacher

Girls’ Middle School news

As we pass the halfway mark of the term it’s a great opportunity to look back at the many and varied events that have taken place so far. This week we did just that during our Combined Middle School Assembly. Please see the videos below from our Assembly:

The theme of the assembly was ‘persistence’ and our Middle School Leaders spoke with the boys and girls about the importance of persevering and how they can go about reaching their goals. Student leaders reported on the recent House and sporting events and we also heard from students who recently attended the Outdoor Education Elective Canoe Camps at Lake Eildon. Our Middle School Assemblies are an opportunity for students to come together as a community, celebrate their successes and achievements and promote upcoming events. They are a wonderful opportunity for students to gain confidence in public speaking as well as performance. It was terrific to hear from our Concert Band which consists of many Middle School students. During our assembly we congratulated the Term 1 recipients of ‘Factis non Verbis’ Awards. These awards recognise students who actively act out our School motto through their positive service to the school community. Congratulations to the following recipients – please click here to view our Factis awards winners.

Over this past week we have enjoyed great energy through participation in the House Music competition. It was a very colourful and lively event which demonstrated a real sense of House spirit and commitment from all students who participated, either as singers or musicians. It was great to see what students can achieve collectively when they work together! Congratulations to Butterss/Cross who won overall.

STEM opportunities for our girls – Robotics!

The buzzword in the Girls’ Junior School is ROBOTICS!  Quite a large number of our girls have joined a new after school club.  This is a wonderful opportunity for our girls to participate in an activity focusing on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) whilst developing inquiry skills, creativity, collaboration and problem-solving skills. 

The new Robotics Club required the girls to work together to build a robot that can be programmed to perform tasks and ultimately compete in the Robo Cup Junior Rescue Competition.  This competition is a state-wide competition ideal for students starting out in robotics.

We are very fortunate indeed as have some very special people helping the girls; Ms Constable (Head of Girls’ Middle School), Mrs Sue Healey (Head of Information and Technology) and Mr Dan Sriratana (a parent who has an expertise in this area). We are also particularly grateful to the Tintern Association who contributed almost $7000 which enabled the school to purchase the equipment and resources needed to support this worthy activity. Thank you Tintern Association!

Why are STEM subjects so important today?

According to the US Labor Department, the 10 fastest growing occupations…

• Biomedical engineers
• Network systems and data communications analysts
• Home health aides
• Personal and home care aides
• Financial examiners
• Medical scientists, except epidemiologists
• Physician assistants
• Skin care specialists
• Biochemists and biophysicists
• Athletic trainers

Arguably, all of these are STEM careers!

If you want to read more, try this great link:

www.sciencepioneers.org/parents/why-stem-is-important-to-everyone

Because STEM is so important for our children, our region and our country, we need to encourage the students currently in our educational systems, as well as future generations of students, to understand and embrace the technology that affects them every day of their lives. … And these courses need to be taught by engaged and enthusiastic teachers using hands-on and minds-on activities. Making science and maths courses fun and interesting will not only help students to learn, but might also plant the ‘seed of interest’ that could grow into an exciting and rewarding STEM career.

This is particularly important for our girls, as women are traditionally under represented in these fields. Work such as these activities at Tintern are giving the girls a great understanding and knowledge of these areas.

Living Digitally in the 21st Century Q and A

It was fantastic to see so many community members join us on Tuesday night to engage in discussion around technology use for teenagers. The night was hosted by adolescent psychologist, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg and featured parents, past students, a chaplain, our Principal as well as representatives from Victoria Police and the Alannah and Madeline Foundation. In the coming weeks we will be sharing information discussed on the night with parents.

Collection Day for Year 4

The Year 4 girls had a most exciting day last week.  Each student brought to school a collection of items which they have collected over time.

On Collections Day I felt a little nervous but very excited. The younger children were more attracted to my collection of Build a Bear teddies than the older girls. I found talking to the public quite challenging. It was enjoyable to see all of our parents supporting our special day.

Charlotte Collins

I decided to bring my trophies, certificates, medals and ribbons on Collections Day.

People enjoyed viewing my collection. They asked me a variety of questions, which I was able to answer. It was challenging when I had to adapt my answers when talking to the younger children in the ELC, the adults and the boys. I was pleased that my public speaking skills improved throughout the day. Overall it was a great day.

Ananya Khatry

I enjoyed looking at my classmates collections before the day began. I was a little nervous when I had to give my 30 second speech about my collection of Lego Friends. I think I spoke clearly and made eye contact. When the boys came to view my collection they crowded round my table. It was very challenging to settle them down! I enjoyed Collections Day and found my confidence grew as the day went on.

Chloe Chiu

My collection was a series of Alice Miranda books by Jacqueline Harvey. I really enjoyed interacting with all of the students and parents. It was challenging to have to keep repeating myself without sounding  annoyed. This was an awesome Day

Katherine Howell

We loved having afternoon tea – Rose

I found speaking with the boys challenging – Scarlett

I found it tiring talking and smiling all day – Ella

We were all exhausted –  Melody

This was a challenging day because I am shy – Coco

I was more confident as the day went on – Sophie

It was hard to speak over the loud din!! – Jasmine

I was so happy to speak in English, and feel more confident – Helen

This was a fantastic experience – Ava

The Knitting Project

Last Wednesday the Middle School girls had their first knitting workshop, with about 20 people dropping in to learn how to, and start knitting squares that will be joined together to make blankets for homeless people. The next workshop is in two weeks’ time, on the 25th of May. Students can bring their own needles and wool but there are also spares they can borrow for the duration of the project. If anyone is able to donate supplies for this great cause we would appreciate donations of 4mm knitting needles and 8ply wool in dark colours.

Mother’s Day Classic

On Mother’s Day we had a group of staff, students and mothers take part in the Mother’s Day Classic, running or walking 4km to raise awareness and money for Breast Cancer Research. Despite the wet weather we thoroughly enjoyed the event and are looking forward to next year!

Women in STEM Seminar

On the 15th of May, girls from Tintern Grammar were invited to a Monash University Seminar about woman in STEM. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

The course was split into three different sections. The first part was to build a robotic arm using your problem solving skills and fluro orange pieces.

The second rotation was the discussion session. Each person split into groups to discuss four different topics – Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence, Sustainability, Overpopulation and Social Media.

The third activity was to program a robot, and anyone in IT in Year 7 at Tintern would remember programming their own. The objectives were to make the robot go 3 seconds forward then turn 90° finishing with 3 seconds backward, make a perfect square and go through a maze.

The seminar wasn’t just for learning, but also for meeting new people and having fun, and everyone who went thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

by Nikisha Kevat, Year 9

Boys Junior School prepare for Canberra Experience

The boys are well into their study of Government and so far we have looked at Federation, Levels of Government, political portfolios and our electoral voting system. While working through the unit, the boys formed political parties within the grade based on their special interests. Each party selected a leader and together organised speeches, posters, business cards and flyers to promote their ideas to the Southwood electorate.

The leaders are:

Liam Eadie, Justin Bacon, James Bonnyman, Krisshnaa Kannan and Lorcan McCrave.

Each leader presented a well-rehearsed speech at our Junior School Assembly on the 9th of May to persuade the Southwood electorate; ie. all the Year 3 to 6’s, to vote for their ideas and elect their party as our government. We then held a secret ballot in the Southwood Centre, where all the boys from Year 3 to 6 classes cast their votes. After voting was completed, we collected the ballot boxes, and with the help of our electoral officers Josh Apsey and Mark Evans, we began the vote count in the Year 6 classroom. Using the Preferential Voting system adopted by Australia, our guest vote counter, Mr Kenny and the electoral scrutineers, we conducted the count.

Our political parties are:

The Tech Party – Liam Eadie, Mark Evans and Angus Middleton.

Find The Fun Party – Justin Bacon, Oscar Webb, Elliott Corcoran and Oliver Dugan.

S.I.P Southwood Improvement Party – James Bonnyman and Geoffrey Zhang

Southwood Step by Step – Krisshnaa Kannan and Kasim Adil

The Super Fun Sports Party –  Lorcan McCrave, Zack Crowe, Josh Apsey, Will Butterfield and Max Adam.

Congratulations to the Find the Fun Party who were elected into government and the leader Justin Bacon who is the Prime Minister for Southwood for 2016.

We will now begin to hold Class Parliament sessions where we debate the promises made during the campaign and see how many bills can be passed. Of course they must also be passed by The Senate (Mrs Neilson the Year 6 teacher) and signed off by our Governor General (Mr Kenny).

Such an exciting time is being had by all in Year 6 at the moment, plus we have our trip to Canberra coming up in Week 10. Life just doesn’t get any better than this!

by Ros Neilson, Year 6 Teacher, Junior School Boys

After school Care

Tintern After School Care is a program that is welcoming and a haven for our students after their busy school day. Educators support each student’s wellbeing and development by creating an environment that is responsive to the individuality of each child, their interests and their social, emotional and physical needs. Activities, resources and routines reflect the breadth of age groups and each student can be seen engaging in something that is just right for them. Educators build respectful and reciprocal relationships with each child creating a positive, supportive and nurturing environment for our very special Tintern students.

by Karen Woolsey, ASC Coordinator

After school care

Tintern After School Care is a program that is welcoming and a haven for our students after their busy school day. Educators support each student’s wellbeing and development by creating an environment that is responsive to the individuality of each child, their interests and their social, emotional and physical needs. Activities, resources and routines reflect the breadth of age groups and each student can be seen engaging in something that is just right for them. Educators build respectful and reciprocal relationships with each child creating a positive, supportive and nurturing environment for our very special Tintern students.

by Karen Woolsey, ASC Coordinator

After school care

Tintern After School Care is a program that is welcoming and a haven for our students after their busy school day. Educators support each student’s wellbeing and development by creating an environment that is responsive to the individuality of each child, their interests and their social, emotional and physical needs. Activities, resources and routines reflect the breadth of age groups and each student can be seen engaging in something that is just right for them. Educators build respectful and reciprocal relationships with each child creating a positive, supportive and nurturing environment for our very special Tintern students.

by Karen Woolsey, ASC Coordinator

Recruitment Vacancy – Kitchen Assistant

Tintern Grammar is looking for someone to work with the Home Economics/Hospitality Department from Monday 30^th May until Friday 17^th June as a Kitchen Assistant.

The position involves preparing for practical classes which includes:

• Responsible for putting out food for the students before the class
• Cleaning up after each class including packing the food away.
• Washing and drying of tea towels and dish cloths after each class.
• Preparing food for teacher demonstrations.

Expressions of interest close: Wednesday 25th May 2016.

Please contact Sue-Anne Dias, Human Resources Manager –  humanresources@tintern.vic.edu.au for any enquiries regarding this role.

Senior College news

With the imminent approach of winter becoming quite evident in the last few days, it is appropriate for me to give one final reminder that full Winter Uniform must be worn from 1 June through to 31 August, inclusive. Full details of the Winter Uniform are contained in the Senior College Handbook, which all families should have a copy of at home, and were also included in the end of Term 1 edition of Aspectus.

Examinations

All Year 12 students in Victoria, with all Year 11 VCE students undertaking a Unit 3/4 VCE subject, are scheduled to sit for the GAT (General Achievement Test) on Tuesday 7 June, from 10.00am to 1.15pm. The GAT is a single 3 hour test consisting of two writing tasks and 70 multiple choice questions. It tests students’ general knowledge and skills in: written communication; mathematics, science and technology; and, humanities, the arts and social sciences. The GAT is used as a means to check VCE external and school-based assessments and is also used to compare IB performance against VCE performance and is the basis on which a conversion on overall IB score can be made to an ATAR.

Our Years 10 and 11 students have their Semester 1 examinations scheduled in the week of Monday 30 May through to Friday 3 June. Our Years 10 and 11 Co-ordinators and the Pastoral Mentors will be providing guidance on getting organised in preparation for the examinations and on how to “work smart”. Further information on the examinations is contained in the sections below written by the Year Level Co-ordinators.

I’m sure most students will have commenced their own revision and I provide the following advice to assist in reducing anxiety prior to and during examinations:

Recommended conditions for Study

• Adequate light, ventilation, heat and space
• Use a consistent workplace
• Sit on a comfortable chair at a desk or table
• Keep both noise and visual distractions to a minimum
• Work while you are “fresh”

Fitness

• Physical fitness is important in order to work well
• Proper food, exercise and leisure are essential
• Adequate sleep is a must

Organisation

• Plan your study time; not only WHEN you will study, but WHAT and HOW you will study
• Do not sit down to study and then try to decide what you will do – this is a sure way of wasting valuable time
• Work out a study timetable, allotting time fairly so that each subject is well covered – this will overcome the tendency to spend too much time on any one subject at the expense of others
• Break study time into blocks allowing for 5 – 10 minutes break after each hour
• Use an efficient reading method, for example the SQ3R Method – Survey, Question, Read, Recall, and Review

With kind regards to all families,

News from Year 10

Maroondah Young Leaders Program

Emma Scealy and Daniella Cosentino represented Tintern Grammar at the recent City of Maroondah Young Leaders Program for a select group of senior school students from across the region. This program presents an opportunity for students to develop a range of interpersonal skills including, leadership, communication, group dynamics, decision making, public speaking, assertiveness, conflict resolution and project management. Families were also invited to attend the Presentation Evening attended by local councillors, which showcased the skills and personal attributes acquired during the week.

Year 10 Examinations

Year 10 students have commenced preparation for their upcoming examinations and they have a Study Day on Friday 27 May. They are encouraged to study at home, but provisions can be made at school if families contact their child’s Mentor. The examination week commences on Monday 30 May and concludes on Friday 3 June. Appropriate full school uniform is required for the week and please note that Tuesday 31 May is the last day that summer uniform can be worn. Rolls are taken at the commencement of each examination and students are not required at school if they do not have an examination. A full briefing about examination procedures will be provided for the students and a copy of the examination timetable is available on the Year 10 page of the Portal.

Year 10 Work Experience Program

The Year 10 Work Experience program is from Tuesday 14 to Friday 17 June. Students will be given final instructions in the week prior and they are also expected to make contact with their employer before the placement to discuss such issues as arrival time and dress code. A package of materials will be sent home shortly that includes a copy of the contract and the two Occupational, Health and Safety certificates that must be given to the employer on the first day.

Mrs Heather Ruckert, Year 10 Co-ordinator

Year 11 Report

Year 11 students are currently hard at work preparing for their mid-year examinations that start on Monday 30 May and run through the week until Friday 3 June. School uniform must be worn to all examinations and students are only required at school when they have a scheduled examination. A reminder to all Year 11 families that they have Friday 27 May as a Study Day – with the expectation that they will study at home.

After their examinations are completed, there are only two weeks until the Year 11 Formal on 17 June, the last day of Term 2 – a wonderful way to commence the holidays, and a much needed break for all.

On the day of the Formal, Year 11 students are allowed to leave school after 12:55pm in order to prepare for the evening event. The Year 11 Formal will be held at Linley Estate in Kilsyth. The night starts at 7pm and will run until 11pm, with dancing, music, photography, great food and friends. As always, we know our students will compose themselves as responsible young men and ladies, enjoying all that the evening has to offer.

Mr Nick Stefanac, Year 11 Co-ordinator

Year 12 Report

The main event for the Year 12 students this week was the annual House Music competition. The final performances were most entertaining and showcased the many months of hard work by the Year 12 House Captains and musicians. Although only one team could be victorious on the day, the leadership, organisational and teamwork skills that were developed during the rehearsals and final performances will no doubt assist all Year 12 students as they move on from secondary school.

As Term 2 draws to a close the workload for Year 12 students will once again start to increase. Students completing VCE will be undertaking SACs for most of their subjects and IB students will be working hard to submit their Extended Essays and Internal Assessments for their various subjects. No doubt, there will also be much discussion, planning and preparation for one of the year’s highlights – the Year 12 Formal, which is scheduled for the last day of Term 2, Friday 17 June. This night is a special one for Year 12 students and, in order to allow plenty of time for preparation for the evening, students will be dismissed after Period 3 on this day. The Year 12 Formal is a great opportunity for Year 12 students to release some stress on the dance floor and have a laugh with friends while looking sophisticated; a great end to Semester 1.

Mrs Jen Tsai Bove, Year 12 Co-ordinator

News from the Careers Department

All Year 12 students are being encouraged to make their careers appointments and subject choice interviews are continuing for Year 10 students. CareerNews Number 6 is now available on the Careers portal page at portal.tintern.vic.edu.au/homepage/7968/ and includes a variety of information relating to University updates, exploring Occupational Therapy as a Career, the Aviation for Women Conference and information relating to the fashion industry.

Experience Days

Registration for the popular RMIT Experience Days, which are scheduled to run from Monday 27 June through to Wednesday 6 July, are now open with sessions relating to a range of disciplines including Business, Science, Engineering and Design. A link to the registration page can be found at: portal.tintern.vic.edu.au/homepage/7966

Notice in Advance:

The Tintern Careers Department is working with schools in the region to present the Maroondah Careers Expo to be held on Tuesday 2 August from 4.00pm – 8.00pm at the Box Hill Institute Lilydale Lakeside campus. Further information and advertising flyers will be provided once available for students in Years 9 to 12.

Mrs Heather Ruckert, Careers Consultant

Knaith Road – Road Works Commencing 2nd May 2016

Key Dates Term 2 2016