Principal's message
The Principal Team has had the privilege of attending the Monash-Manningham Network Principal Conference for the last few days. It is an exciting opportunity to engage in current educational research and thinking. The challenge for us is always to take from the macro teaching and learning environment and contextualise this for TC.
I communicated in Term 1 that we were completing the School Review. We are now following up on the recommendations from the review panel. The most significant piece of work for 2026 is around our curriculum structure. The challenge is to ensure that we are meeting the requirements for school registration, which is a non-negotiable, whilst protecting the FLE and the programs within the FLE. A large group of staff have been working hard to develop models that achieve both these priorities. I will run a community evening to present our best thinking on a curriculum model before the end of the month. I will confirm the date next week.
This week I communicated with the Montessori families at the school that I had taken the difficult and significant decision to not enrol any new students into the program. This decision has been based on falling student numbers in the MAP, financial considerations, and staffing considerations. This means that the Montessori program will begin a period of being phased out of the school offerings, however the current MAP students will have the opportunity to complete their course over the next two years. I understand that this is a difficult decision for our Montessori families.
I am hearing from the students I speak to around the school, and at the front door when they arrive, that there are rumours of reintroducing uniforms and bells. I am continuing to reassure our community that this is not on our agenda.
sTUDENT LUNCHES WITH THE PRINCIPAL
Similar to the Coffee with the Principal sessions, I will be offering students the opportunity to share lunchtime with me and I look forward to meeting more of the students in this way. I will send the booking link to students on their Community teams pages, with sessions beginning next week.
Coffee with the principal
I am continuing to run the Coffee with the Principal sessions this term and I look forward to ongoing conversations with parents and carers about our school and students. Please book a place using the relevant link below if you would like to attend.
☕ Book for face-to-face sessions here.
🌐 Book for online sessions here.
Have a great weekend.
Daryl Bennett
Principal
Traffic management – important safety information
🚧 A reminder that trades are on site for important accessibility building works across the school throughout Term 2. These works will help make TC safer and more accessible for everyone.
Please be mindful of:
🚚 Trade vehicles on site
🚧 Temporary fencing and changed pathways
🚗🚗REMINDER
During drop off and pick up times traffic flow is strictly one way & drop and go only:
⏰Mon, Tue, Thurs (8.30-9.15am & 3.15-3.45pm)
⏰Wed & Fri (8.30-9.15am & 1.45pm- 2.15pm).
Thank you for helping keep our community safe.
TC Records presents One River, Many Streams Concerts - 12 & 13 May
Artwork by Myf Whittle
Dear TC Community; Students, Staff, Family and Friends,
TC Records is proud to present One River, Many Streams Concerts.
Please join us down in the PAC next week to see what our amazingly talented music students have been working on this semester. 🎸🥁🎻🎤 .
For Wednesday’s evening performance our TC Musos will be joined by special guest; Ganga Giri 💛🖤❤️
✅ For music students performing - Compass Parental Consent deadline is today (Friday 8 May 11.59pm)
🎟️ Ticketing is now open via Trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/DKPCP
🎶 Performance Dates:
🎟️ Tuesday 12 May, 6:30pm
🎟️ Wednesday 13 May, 6:30pm
TC Cross Country Event - Wednesday 13 May
TC Cross Country is occurring next Wednesday after school.
Cross Country course - 4 laps
📅 When: Wednesday 13th May (Week 4)
⌚ Time: Meet at 2:20pm outside the Hub at the veranda for a 2:30pm start
✅ Where: Around the school grounds (see map below)
✅ Why: To qualify for Division Cross Country, to have some fun/participate in physical activity
💻 Sign up: This is an opt in event - fill in the Microsoft form - TC Cross Country OPT IN – Fill in form
Course details:
🏃➡️The course around the school is approx. 800 metres, you will be running 4 laps of the course.
🏃♀️➡️There will be cones and teachers stationed around the course
Senior Boys basketball playing in the Rising Stars Aus Qualifiers this weekend
Our Senior Boys Basketball team is competing in the Rising Stars Australian Qualifiers this weekend at the State Basketball Centre ⛹️♂️💥
We’d love to see plenty of TC supporters there cheering the team on! 💙📣🙌
📍 George St, Wantirna South
🕝 Templestowe College play:
Friday 8 May
11:30am - Court 4
3:30pm - Court 1
Saturday 9 May
8:30am - Court 2
2nd game TBA based on results
Sunday 10 May
Dependent on results.
Latest fixtures available: Fixtures & Live Scores | NBA Rising Stars Invitational Australia 2026
LIVESTREAM available here: https://nbarisingstarsqualifiers.com.au/game-centre
School for Student Leadership Applications now open
Applications are now open for 5 of our current FLE 2 students to attend the School for Student Leadership in the Don Valley in an 8-week residential immersive learning experience during Term 3.
The School for Student Leadership aims to provide experiential education that supports the personal growth, aspirations, and transformation of all students as global citizens.
Students develop capacities at the School for Student Leadership to lead a Community Learning Project (CLP) at school once they return from the program.
CLPs address real and pertinent issues such as:
🏞️ environmental concerns
⚖️ social injustice
⛑️ community safety
🤗 positive youth engagement and the like.
TC students will be shortlisted for this opportunity based on their valuable contributions or capacity to contribute to the broader TC community.
Click here for more information on the School for Student Leadership. If you would like to hear more about SSL from students that have been there, attend an information session in the Conference Room next Tuesday May 12 during Recess 1.
Application process
Interested FLE 2 students must fill in the form School for Student Leadership Expression of Interest – Fill out form outlining what would make them a great fit for his opportunity.
The application closing date is, Friday 22 May 22 2026 at 2pm.
Donations needed – Animals and Environmental Action Group
WANTED
📢
WANTED 📢
The FEATHERS & FUR class needs your help!
Our students have started working with larger animals — and Sherman the pig is now close to 100kg! 🐽💪
Because of this, students can only enter the paddock wearing safety/work boots 👢
If you have any old work boots you no longer use and would be happy to donate, we’d love to give them a second life at TC 💙Sizes suitable for 12-15 year olds, particularly girls, are ideal.
🛍️ Please place boots in a bag
🏷️ Address them to Duncan Sadler
📍 Drop them to the Front Office during regular school hours
Thank you for supporting our students (and Sherman!) 🐷✨
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION GROUP
Our EAG students are on the hunt for old exercise bikes and blenders for an exciting new smoothie bike project 🍓⚡
They don’t need to have working electrics — if the frame or parts are usable, we’d still love them! 🙌
Please contact Meg Bailey with any questions mbai@tc.vic.edu.au
4th Annual Festival of Drama
Book now for our 4th Annual Festival of Drama!
TC's Bush Dance - Thursday 25 June
Our annual Permaculture Bush Dance is a great community night where students, families, staff and friends of TC can kick up their heels and enjoy some traditional barn dancing led by the amazing bush band, Bushwahzee.
With supporting performances from TC Music students, delicious loaded potatoes🥔 and desserts 🍮made with TC's own bee honey🐝, a raffle, games and sale of produce and student-made items, this will be a night not to miss!
Thursday 25 June 6pm until 9.30pm
🎟️Tickets will be available soon.
All in for Reconciliation - creative comp
Our annual Reconciliation Week Creative Competition is open for entries! This year's theme is "All In". This theme encourages all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
All current students are invited to submit creative works in any medium or genre that explores the theme. In previous years we have had incredible paintings, poems, sketches, short stories, and video works.
All entries go in the running for the prizes: 1st place - $200 voucher from a Indigenous run business of the winner's choice. 2nd place - $50 voucher. 3rd place - $30 voucher.
Entries must be submitted to RGR@tc.vic.edu.au by 5pm June 5th.
Entries will be judged by members of the Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group. Winners will be notified by Teams message in the final week of Term 2.
Previous winners:
"Recipe for Reconciliation" Priya Chandy 2025 Winner
"Now More Than Ever" Joshua Petrou 2024 Winner
For more info about Reconciliation Week, please visit:
https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/
NRW2026: All In
The #NRW2026 theme, All In, is a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day.
TC Graphic Design Students are creating
TC Graphic Design students are making some amazing progress on vector designs and using the vinyl printer to produce really cool t-shirt designs.
TC News
INTERVIEW WITH THE SCHOOL CAPTAINS
As the semester has progressed, our school captains have been becoming more accustomed to their leadership roles. If you’ve been wanting to know a bit more about your captains, here’s the chance. I got them together to have a check-in on how they’ve all been going.
Q-“ How’s captaincy been so far?”
Kate-“Good, given us an opportunity to look at part of the school we wouldn’t usually look at”
Delanah-“It’s been insightful, focusing on school review, and we are in the stages of improving the 908 bus stop situation”
Q-“ What are your goals for the rest of the year?”
Millyca-“ Currently, I am focused on the feedback box, which is something like a legacy project to me. I want to make sure that the system works and that feedback really gets used and acted on.”
Ezra-“ A goal moving forward in the year is making sure all concerns of students are properly met.”
Q-“What is something you are looking forward to?”
Millyca-“ From here onwards, I really just want to help people have a good time. We receive a lot of feedback on hosting more graduate events or community events, and I quite enjoy working with people to help them reach their goals. I will also just be trying to enjoy my grad year and be helpful.”
Q-“Message to students?”
Delanah-“You may have seen our announcement about the new letter box. We really love reading the letters. Please keep sending them.”
Ezra-“ My message to students is to encourage you to take advantage of the resources TC has to offer, so that through your peers and teachers, many things are possible if you raise your voice loud enough.”
Q-“What would you want students to know about the captains?”
Kate-“ Geniunly, we are down for a chat, please come speak to us, tell us anything, we are here to hype you up, we want to hear your opinions”
Millyca-“I wish people really realised that we are students and also do normal student things. We like chatting and talking with people our age. We aren't scary, and we aren't superior either. When you tell us an idea, we don't judge it; we just think about how we can help”
If you have any concerns or questions, the school captains are always happy to listen. They are a really kind group, and I suggest checking out the letterbox whenever you have a chance. It’s located near the hub opposite IT.
See you next week!
Dara Cucos
TC Journalist