Principal's Update

WELCOME TO THE 2023 SCHOOL YEAR

Dear families,

Welcome to the 2023 school year, it was fantastic to see all the students return last Wednesday and I am pleased to report it has been a very positive start. A special welcome to all our new families, we trust that your association and partnership with Trinity College will be a rewarding one.

On the first day back all students and staff gathered in the hall for an assembly. During the gathering all of our Year 12 student leaders introduced themselves and spoke about what their theme for the year, ‘Our Culture of Respect’ meant to them. Hearing the students speak so positively about their school and stressing the importance of positive relationships with each other and with staff clearly demonstrated that we have an outstanding group of student leaders in place this year.

During my short welcome speech I informed the students that our expectations of them as students and as people has risen this year and I know they in turn will rise to the challenge of being and doing their best at all times. 

All families will have received a copy of our new engagement framework. A working party took up the challenge late last year to review the school’s behaviour management procedures and based on feedback from parents, students and staff, the demerit points system was removed and replaced by a new rights and responsibilities document.

This comprehensively covers the school's expectations of staff, students and families and is a template that provides clear boundaries for our students and easy-to-follow rules and consequences for poor choices around their behaviour.

The new procedures have been well accepted by the students and staff and with support from our parents and carers, will ensure that the best possible learning environment is in place and will also ensure that all students feel safe and accepted here at Trinity College.

PRESENTATION ASSEMBLY

On Tuesday this week we held our Presentation Ceremony. Our 2022 high achieving students returned to accept their awards and to impart some words of wisdom to current students. As well as recognizing the students who achieved a VCE study score of 40 or above, which puts them in the top 9% of all students who undertook that VCE subject, we also recognized the six Trinity Difference Award winners from 2022.

Former student Lachie Ryan also attended the ceremony and delivered a keynote address that is sure to inspire all students. Our VCAL excellence award winner, Ruby Stewart, was also in attendance and along with Year 12, 2022, Trinity Difference Award winner and VCE high achiever, Sophie Darroch and 2022 Dux Ryon Qu delivered excellent speeches that touched on their educational journey, some of their secrets to success and the important role their teachers had played along the way.

NEW STUDENTS AND STAFF

This year, along with welcoming over 120 new Year 7 students and a number of new students at other year levels, we also welcomed 21 new staff members.

Our aim is to provide profiles of all new staff in the first few editions of the newsletter, but in the meantime I have provided a full list of all new staff and their areas of work below. There is no doubt that we have been able to attract outstanding staff members who we know will add tremendous value to our College.

New teaching staff include:

Lewis Antonac – Year 9 Homeroom Mentor, Science, PBL, Mathematics and Physical Education;

Melinda Bock – Year 11 Homeroom Mentor, Psychology and English;

Rina Hamdemir – Humanities, History, Art and Drama;

Peter Harrington – Vocational Major, VET Sport & Rec and Physical Education;

Chloe Hassell – Religious Education, English, Humanities and Agriculture;

Eliza-Jane Maronian – Science, Mathematics and PBL;

Bryce McDonald – Year 7 Homeroom Mentor, Religious Education, Physical Education, Humanities;

Owen McGuire – Year 8 Homeroom Mentor, Engineering, Mathematics and Science;

Noel McKay (Term 1) – English and Humanities;

Sandra Murray – Mathematics;

Matthew Rathgeber – English and Geography; and

Julian Shaw – Vocational Pathways, Media and Humanities;

New support staff include:

Jamisyn Holt – Learning Support Officer; Jacinta Mahony – Learning Support Officer; Imogen Nelson (Term 1) – Learning Support Officer; Kylie Thornton – Learning Support Officer; Chloe Woods – Learning Support Officer; Ellie Metcalf – Wellbeing Social Worker; Jett Price – Sports Trainee; Jess Woods – Sports Trainee; and Chloe Hall – Media and Communications Trainee.

FAST START TO TERM 1

Things will be getting very busy very quickly here. We have already had our Year 7 Information Night and I would like to thank our Year 7 families for making the effort to join us to meet key Year 7 staff and hear about important information regarding upcoming events and other important aspects related to the transition from primary to secondary school.

This week we have already had our swimming trials, VCE and VCAL awards ceremony and our Year 7 students and staff have been at Kangaroobie in Princetown for their camp. Next week we have our Year 9 and Senior School information sessions along with our House Swimming Carnival and College photos. We are also preparing for our College Open Day on March 22.

Please remember to contact the school as soon as possible if any issue arises for you or your child as often early contact can prevent small issues becoming big issues.