Next Week @TC

16/09/2022

• Term 3 Newsletter Release

• 2023 School Captain Application Process

• Mango Drive

• Updated Smoking, Vaping, Alcohol and Illicit Drugs Policy

• Final Dates for VCE Catch Up Classes

• Changes to COVID Isolation Periods

• Return to Term 4 Arrangements

• 2022 and 2023 Graduating Letters

• Term 4 key Dates

• Beginning of 2023 arrangements

• TCNEWS - Victorian State School Spectacular

Term 3 Newsletter realease

Congratulations to our community for an amazing Term 3. Our newsletter is jam packed with events and activities in and outside the classroom in a true display of diversity, leadership, participation and learning! Enjoy it now: TC - Newsletter, Issue 3, 2022

2023 School Captain Application Process

We have shared information with our students on the process to select School Captains for 2023. If you think this is an opportunity for your student, information can be found on the Community Team channel including the timeline for the process that begins in week 1 of next term.

Mango Drive

2023 and 2023 Graduating Letters

The following letters regarding the celebrations for 2022 and 2023 graduates have been emailed home. Please see copies of letters in case you have not received them. If you have not received them please check your junk folder or contact the general office to update your details

Updated Smoking, Vaping, Alcohol and Illicit Drugs Policy

Our Smoking, Vaping, Alcohol and Illicit Drugs Policy has been updated. Here is the link to view the new policy. If you have any questions or concerns about this please contact Katrina Katz - Assistant Principal - KKAT@tc.vic.edu.au

Clearing the Air - Vaping Presentation for Parents

The TC Specialist Wellbeing Service is excited to welcome Perennial Health Institute to share their "Clearing the Air - Vaping Presentation for Parents" with the TC Community. This 45-minute presentation aims to bring parents and carers up to speed on the latest knowledge surrounding e-cigarettes and vaping covering topics such as What is vaping? The Anatomy of Vapes & E-Cigarettes, Nicotine levels in Vapes, Peer Pressure or Social Norms and much more.

• When: October 13th 2022 at 4 pm - after school parking is available on the oval

• Where: S-wing

This presentation is free for parents & carers but you must book as spaces are limited! To book please complete the form here:https://forms.office.com/r/cr49ZK5mqH

For more information please contact Amanda Toyer - ATOY@tc.vic.edu.au

Final Dates for VCE CATCH Up Classes

The final dates to make up any VCE classes missed are:

• Friday 14th October for Unit 3/4 classes

• Friday 11th November for Unit 1/2 classes

VCE catch-up sessions that are held weekly in the HUB at the following times:

• Monday 3:30pm to 4:40pm

• Tuesday 3:30pm to 4:40pm

• Thursday 3:30pm to 4:40pm

A reminder that students must achieve an attendance rate of 85% for each of their VCE classes in line with DET requirements. Any questions regarding this process please contact Katrina Katz - Assistant Principal - KKAT@tc.vic.edu.au

Changes to COVID Isolation Periods

We have received information from the Department of Education (DET) on the changes to the COVID isolation periods. The information below has been copied and pasted from the email sent to us.

Any student or staff member who tests positive to COVID-19 must now isolate for a minimum of 5 days instead of 7. If they are asymptomatic, they may return to school on day 6. If they are symptomatic, they must remain in isolation until day 7. If they have symptoms after 7 days, they are strongly advised to stay home until their symptoms have resolved.

As an additional risk mitigation, the Department of Health recommends that those leaving isolation wear a face mask when away from home, both indoors and outdoors, and when they cannot physically distance. Those leaving isolation on day 6 should wear a mask for 5 days but particularly the first 2 days. Those leaving isolation on day 7 should wear a mask for 4 days but particularly the first 2 days.

return to term 4 arrangements

We look forward to welcoming back students to Term 4 at the normal time on Monday 3rd October 2022.

Term 4 key dates

• Tuesday 18th October – Last Day Senior VCAL Classes

• Wednesday 19th October – Last Day Unit 4 Classes

• Thursday 20th October – Last Day GRAD Students

• Monday 24th October – Friday 28th October – Community Integrated Learning Week – Theme of Earth Week

• Monday 31st October – Staff Professional Development Day. No classes running. Just exam students onsite

• Tuesday 1st November – Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

• Wednesday 26th October – Wednesday 16th November – Unit 4 VCE Exams Run

• Thursday 17th November – Wednesday 23rd November – Unit 2 VCE Exams Run

• Thursday 24th November – Virtual Final Assembly

• Friday 25th November – Staff Professional Practice Day. No classes running onsite

• Monday 28th November – Friday 2nd December – Head Start Week 1 (ALL STUDENTS)

• Monday 5th – Friday 9th December – Head Start Week 2 (NON-VCE STUDENTS - FLE & PRE)

• Monday 12th - Friday 16th December - Activity Week

• Tuesday 13th December – 2023 Entry Orientation Day (Non VCE Students Onsite)

• Wednesday 14th – Thursday 15th December – Staff First Aid Training taking place + Peer support training. Activities running for others onsite

• Friday 16th December - Staff PD Day (no students onsite)

• Monday 19th December – TC TLC Day 1

• Tuesday 20th December – TC TLC Day 2 (Early Finish) (Last day of the Year)

Beginning of 2023 Arrangements

Currently we have the following arrangements for the beginning of 2023:

• Friday 27th January - Staff Professional Development Day. No students on site. General Office opens after 11am

• Monday 30th January - Staff Professional Development Day. No students on site.

• Tuesday 31st January - 2023 Entry Students begin. VCE students return TBC.

• Wednesday 1st February - all students are onsite.

Victorian State School Spectacular

"Melbourne’s biggest live song, dance and lighting phenomenon" is back! The annual Victorian State School Spectacular (VSSS) was held on September 10th at the John Cain Arena. Known for its glitz and glam, the show is an incredible opportunity for students to get hands-on training and mentoring both on stage and behind the scenes. This year, four TC creatives participated behind the scenes and in workshops over several months in preparation for the big show.

⭐Dexter Dovey Cribbes  (Vision Crew)
⭐Lindsay Gerhardt (Assistant Stage Manager) 
⭐Daniel Gray (Audio Crew
⭐Jack Willis-Hall (Operations Assistant)

Every year, the production brings together about 3,000 students from more than 200 schools. The theme of this year’s show was Time to Shine and featured music from The Beatles, Dua Lipa, Stan Walker and Kate Bush. From musicians, singers and dancers to circus artists, acrobats, skaters, and hip hop dancers as well as those behind the scenes in audio, lighting and stage management, audiences were enthralled by the extravaganza.

Here, I interviewed Jack Willis-Hall, Dan Gray and Lindsay Gerhardt about their involvement in the VSSS. Read on. 

Could you tell me about your role and responsibilities in the VSSS?

Jack: I was an Operations Assistant, which means I was working with a small team and was responsible for everything that did not directly involve the stage such as making sure everyone had enough water and responding quickly to emergency issues.

Dan: During the shows, I had a part in the microphone tech role where we made sure the microphones worked before handing them to performers. 

Was it your first time participating in the VSSS?

Jack: I have been a part of VSSS since 2019, when I started in Lighting, working alongside PRG. I loved every second of it and then continued to be a part of it every year since.

Dan: Technically, this was not my first time participating in VSSS as I participated in last year, although it was mostly over zoom and ended up getting cancelled.

Lindsay: I have participated in the SSS four times, in both mass dance and mass choir in primary school and early high school, so I have had an idea and understanding of the show for years. 

What was the planning and preparation like?

Jack: The overall planning for a spectacular is 18 months however, we were brought in when there were only around 6 months left. This left us to organise the bump-in (setup) of the arena, such as what went in each dressing room, costume racks, hair dryers, lockers, furniture, dividers and borders and also the movement of the cast during the show.

Dan: During the week leading up to the gig, I helped check that everything worked at the factory then, helped load thousands of dollars worth of gear into a truck before setting it all up again in the arena.

What was your experience like and your favourite part of the VSSS?

Jack: Personally, I loved working with like-minded people all around this shared goal and seeing it all come together.

Dan: The experience overall was incredible, I learnt so much about what goes into arena sound and had so many previous questions and wonderings answered by the right people. My favourite part was definitely hearing so many cool stories from techs who have worked with all the big-name artists like Foo Fighters and Taylor Swift. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone thinking of getting into the entertainment industry, as it is a great way to build contacts from all over the industry.

Lindsay: I really loved working with the staff who I'd known all year but also meeting new industry professionals during the week at the arena, learning about other aspects of live production and bonding together over a long week was the best experience. 

What was the most challenging part of it?

Dan: The most challenging part was probably the late nights mixed with early mornings. That got me sooo tired. But that doesn't mean it wasn't worth it.

Lindsay: Managing school work has been difficult, but I have prioritized the spectacular from the start, as I know it will be a major way for me into the industry (as I would like to pursue a career in live production)

Huge congrats to Jack, Dan, Dexter and Lindsay for participating in this year's VSSS. Well done!

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

Last Weeks Announcements

• Entry 2023 Applications

• Duty of Care Policy

• Message from the Specialist Wellbeing Team

• Dads toolkit - parenting sessions at TC

• Lost property from the Formal this week

ENTRY 2023 APPLICATIONS

The DET Year 6- 7 Placement process has been completed. Please contact our Registrar if you require an application form wha@tc.vic.edu.au   

Duty of Care Policy

At TC we want all of our students to feel happy, healthy and safe at school. A reminder to parents that staff are bound by their duty of care for all students. Please see a link to our Duty of Care Policy (where you can find all of TC's policies) and please don't hesitate to contact Assistant Principal Katrina Katz (KKAT@tc.vic.edu.au) should you have any questions. https://tc.vic.edu.au/duty-of-care-policy

Message from the Specialist Wellbeing Team

We have a few families who have young people recovering from an eating disorder and one family has asked if we can see if others are interested in connecting and meeting up to be able to support and chat with one another. If this is something you are interested in please contact AJES@tc.vic.edu.au

Dads Toolkit - Parenting Sessions at TC

Templestowe College, in partnership with ParentZone Eastern, is delighted to present a workshop focusing on the vital role of fathers in the lives of their teenagers. This interactive session will be facilitated by Deborah Trengove from Eastern ParentZone and will include discussions on the changing face of fathering, effective communication and positive discipline.
Date: Thursday 20th October 2022
Registration: 5:45pm Session starts: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
All parents/carers are welcome to attend this free workshop, however bookings are essential.
For bookings: REGISTRATION – Templestowe College Dads Toolkit
For further information contact Rita Fernandez on 98506333

Lost property from the Formal this week

We have two items of lost property from the formal this week. These can be collected from the General Office.

Announcements from Previous Weeks

• Theft out of hours from the PAC – Do you recognise this person?

• Community Integrated Learning Week update

• Booking dogs in to come to school

• Road surfacing work - street parking restrictions in the next two weeks

• Subject Selection Update for 2023

• TC in The Age - Schools that Excel Award

• Support groups for queer students and their families

Theft Out of Hours from the PAC – Do You Recognise this Person?

Unfortunately, our Performing Arts Centre has been broken into twice this week, both at about 6am in the morning. Some musical instruments have been stolen. We are reaching out to our community to see if you recognise this person or may have seen them in the local area? It is a very distinctive jacket and they are riding on a black e-scooter. If you have any information, please let us know confidentially through connect@tc.vic.edu.au so that we can get some more information to help ourselves and the police identify this person.

Boom Gate by the Permaculture Farm

This is a friendly reminder that if the boom gate is lowered, this is for the protection of our students. Please do not lift the boom gate. We only operate our one way system at pick up and drop off times. Unfortunately, some parents have decided to lift the boom gate themselves during the day. Please note that this is there for the safety of our students and staff.

Community Integrated Learning Update

As we come to the end of Term 3, we are able to reflect on the incredible array of activities and learning experiences that have been happening at school and in the local area. Our Place on Country saw many groups explore Wurundjeri connection to Birrarung (Yarra River). We had poets, permaculture, weaving, song-writing, podcasting, games, bush tucker, language and art as well as guest speakers and Q&As. Stay tuned for Connect TV's feature episode coming out next week!

Next term we have Earth Week happening in Week 4 (Oct 24-28) exploring all things sustainability, environment, and climate.

In TC style, we are offering a series of grants for students to lead and organise activities or events for Earth Week. Please read below for the grant process. Also we are asking for suggestions for themes for 2023. Check out the links below to our themes surveys.

Earth Week Student Grants

Do you have an idea for an EARTH Week activity or initiative?
Know of an inspiring guest speaker?
Have an idea for a community event or activity?

Apply now for an EARTH Week grant! EARTH WEEK is week 4 Term 4 Oct 24-28.

The following grants are available:
4 x $500
1 x $1000 

Your application will be judged on:

• how your activity links to the theme

• how many students can get involved

• viability of the proposed idea both financially and logistically

• potential positive impact on the broader TC Community

Apply via this form: https://forms.office.com/r/CVGue1XHfZ

Applications close Wed October 5 5pm (first Wednesday of Term 4). Please read guidelines before applying.

Themes for 2023 - Have Your Say!

We want your suggestions for themes for 2023! Here are two survey links - one for students, and one for families - asking your feedback on 2022's themes and for your ideas on themes for next year's Community Integrated Learning themes.

Students:
https://forms.office.com/r/gudua3aST3

Families:
https://forms.office.com/r/NQTNGmvsPC

Surveys will be open until the end of the school holidays.

Booking dogs in to come to school

A friendly reminder that staff and students need to book their dogs in for dog-of-the-day if they are planning on bringing their pet to school. We try to avoid having more than 4 dogs on site per day to ensure there is plenty of space for all members of our community to enjoy. Please also remember dogs brought to school must be on a lead at all times. To book your dog in please call the school and ask for Jeremy Carr, email him on JCAR@tc.vic.edu.au, message him on teams or visit in person at SWING.

Subject Selection Update for 2023 Subjects

As an update for the process, students should have now all submitted their subject selections for 2023. 2023 Entry Students have been sent information on how to do this.

We will now look at how many students have selected which subjects and then make decisions on which subjects will run based upon these numbers. We then speak to any students who are impacted by this whilst we enter the next stage of the process of creating a timetable.

We ask that all parents check their emails (including junk) as you will have received an email asking you to approve subjects selected.

Thank you to all students and families who have completed the process as this helps us dramatically with the process.

TC in The Age - Schools that Excel Award

You may have noticed that TC was selected as the winner of The Age award for their “Schools that Excel” award. Click on the article below to read more.

Support groups for queer students and their families

Previous TCNEWS Articles

VicSRC Congress

As a first-year member of the school council, it is highly recommended that any new council members attend a governance training session. During my session, I met other student members from different councils around Melbourne!  From the roles and responsibilities of council members, case studies and examples of other schools’ best practices, I learnt all things school council. Also, in attendance was a person who works for the Victorian Student Representative Council (VICSRC). VICSRC is an organisation created by students to be a voice for students at the highest levels of decision-making in Victorian education. I was also informed of their annual Congress "which brings together secondary students from across Victoria to unpack ideas and solve issues in the education system. As voted by students, the top ideas become the focus of VicSRC's advocacy for the next 12 months, spearheaded by the VicSRC Student Executive Advisory Committee." As soon as I learned about it, I knew I had to go.

I started talking with Jeremy and Kat about making Congress an excursion for me and two other students (three is the maximum allowed per school). After finding out about Congress, school captains Madie and Kyra also wanted to go! Two weeks before Congress, our brainstorming sessions began. We had the option to pitch an idea to the audience at Congress and a few teams meeting calls later, we ended up with community integrated learning (CIL)! At school, we've seen how CIL has increased our community engagement and think how awesome it would be if all schools implemented a similar model. 

Last Friday, after arriving at Wurun Senior Campus, we were greeted by some of VICSRC's student ambassadors and cute show bags, which included a t-shirt, reusable mugs and pins! It was genuinely incredible meeting students who were just as passionate about student voice. Then, it was pitch time. Within the hour, over 40 students pitched their ideas to the crowd. When it was our turn, walking up, I almost tripped on the microphone cord, but the show had to go on. The three of us delivered a great speech on how CIL benefits the school community. Sadly, when it came to voting time, our pitch wasn't selected, but I'm super proud of all of us for giving it a go!

The chosen issues:

📣 Trauma-informed mental health training in schools
📣 Electoral Education
📣 Stress-free VCE
📣 Student informed consent education
📣 Neurodiversity in schools
📣 School & sleep schedules
📣 Free public transport for school students
📣 Exploring different methods of learning
📣 Localised Indigenous learning partnerships
📣 Student-led mental health taskforce

After we devoured our provided lunches (falafel wraps and bread rolls), we split off into different action groups. We discussed the selected issues and looked at how to solve and improve them! I found it really interesting to hear the experiences of other students from other schools and compare them to mine. For example, the idea of a sex education program designed with the help of students is something we've already established, see here TC - 25/03/2022. My favourite part of the day had to be networking. Speaking with my group leader, Sienna, I gained insight into how she finds student leadership opportunities and some tips for developing student initiatives. Overall, it was a fun and informative day, I would definitely recommend students interested in leadership and student voice keep an eye out for Congress next year.

Read our pitch here: 

Bonnie-Mai: 
Hi, Congress 2022
Since we’re all high school students, I think we have all experienced some form of disengagement at school. This can be solved by forming a positive connection between students and their education. Not only will this link help develop a strong community, but it is also vital to the well-being of students. This is why schools need community-integrated learning. 

Kyra:
From experience, we know how important it is for students to feel included to increase community engagement. In previous years, with a school size of over 1000 students, it was sad to see only 200 attend our Swimming Carnival. However, this year, after rebranding the carnival to the ‘pool party’ and the addition of music performed by students, market stalls, D&D and youth organisations, our attendance numbers have skyrocketed to 800, increasing participation. This has cultivated an engaged and spirited community at our school. 

Madie:
We ask that schools prioritise student voices and truly listen to their feedback. Events like a movie or trivia night bring students together to make long-lasting memories. But for this to happen, Victorian education bodies need to provide proper support and funding to ensure all schools can host these beneficial events. Community Integrated learning is the key to enriching the learning journey, so when are we going to unlock it?

Thank you.

By Bonnie-Mai Smith 
TC Journalist

Animals Trivia Night

Last Friday, was TC's annual animals' trivia night! This year, over $5,000 was raised to help improve TC's animal enclosures. Held in S-Wing, the event was completely sold out with over 170 attendees. The wide range of guests included staff, parents, current students, past students, past staff, friends and family. There were also some awesome team names such as 'The Peter Ellis Fan Club', 'Duncan’s Favourites', 'Village People' and the Kung Fu Pandas.

The many rounds of trivia were filled with questions about sports, general knowledge, guessing the suburb based on the emojis, entertainment and more. Each table brought along a wide range of snacks and many of them wore team costumes. To boost competitive spirit, at the end of each question round, groups would correct the score sheets of their neighbours. Defending their title, 'Eurotrash' was definitely the team to beat but ended up reigning supreme for the second year, taking home the coveted cup and hamper provided by Barry Plant!

Even if trivia wasn't your thing, there was a series of games such as a paper aeroplane contest and a heads and tails competition. A silent auction was also held and made up of items donated by some generous members of the TC Community. There were a bunch of vouchers and gift cards up for grabs, but the major raffle prize was the 'big 4-burner BBQ 'Jumbuck Stardom II 4 Burner BBQ' donated by Bunnings. 

Behind the event was the awesome team of students and staff. Students dedicated one lunchtime a week to planning and preparing. They created a list of roles for the event, organised the invitations and helped with the financing during the months leading up. On the day of the event, the volunteers helped set everything up and worked throughout the night to ensure it was helping to run smoothly. To keep the little ones entertained, student volunteers also ran a movie and colouring in.

Throughout the night, Kate Meehan's enjoyed "watching the last few moments of the silent auction, as Duncan [was] counting down the clock and seeing all of the keen bidders desperately trying to win their item in a fierce bidding war". Another fun part for her was when the student team "finished helping set up, we had a little bit of down-time before the guests arrived. We ordered pizza and sang karaoke." 

A huge congrats to all past and present TC staff, students and community members who organised, donated and participated in the successful event!

Trivia Night will be running again next year so keep an eye out for info on Compass and social media!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tcanimals
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tc_animals/

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

Cheerleading Club

Bring it on! This week welcomed the brand new Cheerleading club. Started by student Charlotte Kranz, the club will be held every Wednesday from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm in S6. The club is a safe space for students to learn, develop and perfect their cheer skills. Each lesson will have a mix of tumbling, jumps, stunts, acro and dance. There is a $10 fee per lesson and all TC students are welcome to join!

Here, I asked Charlotte a few questions about cheerleading club. Read on.

Congrats on your first meeting! How did it go? 

Cheerleading club was a huge success! We started off with a warm-up leading into some basic tumbling. Then we got into some jumps and stunts, such as eye height stunts, meaning we lift someone up to eye level, which worked so well. We finished off with a cool down and cleaned up the mats!

Could you tell me a bit about your cheerleading experience?

In 2018 my team and I won in Australia as we travelled to QLD to compete in this special competition. Next year I will be travelling to Hawaii to be competing in a global competition with people from all around the world coming to compete.

Why did you start cheerleading club?

The reason why I started cheerleading club is so that I can, share my love of cheerleading. As of this year, I have accomplished becoming a coach and therefore I want to expand my knowledge with TC athletes who have a lot of potential!

Why do you love cheer?

I love cheerleading because it has been a part of my life for almost eight years now. Often when people think of cheerleading, they think of people being over-competitive and mean or judgmental towards one another, but it has never been like that, sure it is competitive, but everyone is so supportive of one another and the nature surrounding cheerleading is amazing to be in because you form a team bond instantly. Cheerleading is never about winning or losing is about building up your strength to become competitive. It's about being a team leader and having the skills to become a cheerleader.

How did the club start?

I knew that coaching a team with a higher age group was always something I wanted to do, as it's a huge challenge I always wanted to accomplish. With the help of our new vice principal Kat, we contacted the owner of Melbourne Cheer Academy so she could get us started with our special coach, Kay! Then we started our search for mats and athletes. 

Could you tell me about Kay?

So Kay is our professional coach that came in to help out. She's a cheerleader at Melbourne Cheer Academy (my club) and is also going to Hawaii with me next year! Kay has been cheering for years and years now, so she knows everything about cheer! She also coaches another high school and they actually came first at one of their competitions.

So in the future would you like TC to have a team to compete like some other schools?

Yeah, definitely that's the aim. This year is all about fun and showing off everyone's skills, next year will be a bit more competitive.

A huge congrats to Charlotte on her brand-new club!

For any students interested in joining, please message Charlotte Kranz on teams.

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

Art Day Yay!

Last Wednesday, welcomed the first art workshop since covid! Filled to the brim with creativity, the art hub hosted 7 different workshops for students of all ages. The art workshops began with the idea to invite all students, whether they are studying art subjects or not, to experience and explore a variety of techniques in creative practice. This year the workshops included textile felting, make a zine, documentary filmmaking, senior art extension, screenprinting, nature photography and exploring watercolour & ink. Also, the provided pizza lunch was definitely an added bonus for students!

Nature Photography:

During David's workshop, his group embarked on a guided photography trail walk along Ruffy Creek to the lake while "discussing nature photography and exploring the elements and principles of composition to capture plants, animals and landscapes. The students considered their place on country and their relationship to the local area by capturing images using a specialist lens and professional photography techniques." For David, he "really enjoyed seeing the students... enthusiasm for photography and exploring the trail was really rewarding". 

Screenprinting: 

During the screenprinting workshop, students got to come up with a stencil design, cut it out, and print it onto a t-shirt or tote bag. Guided by Jason, "the entire day was great fun, there were a few challenges; students didn't know what they wanted to show and sometimes were not sure of the stencil process [but the] best part was probably seeing the final prints - our students are very creative!"

Ink and Watercolour: 

To produce an awesome piece of work, students prepared their paper to create a border and applied transparent layers of overlapping colour to achieve sift, delicate hues and shifts of colour within their subject matter. Portraits, furry and feathered creatures were the imagery most popular amongst the artists. Demi's favourite part of the workshop was when students began to realise that "patience and waiting for layers to dry effectively contributed to the success of the work" she also "loves teaching this particular technique as it is so simple and so effective!" For Oscar, her favourite part of the workshop was "the ink, [as] there were so many different techniques to use it was a lot of fun"

A huge congrats to all staff and students involved in the art workshop!

Check out the TC Art Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/tcvisualart/

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

Term 3 Our Place on Country 

Next week marks term 3's Community Integrated Learning week (CIL)! This term's theme is 'Our Place on Country'. While developing this term's CIL week, TC Staff participated in professional development with Deakin University-based Dja Dja Wurrung academic Dr Al Fricker to learn about 8 Ways Indigenous pedagogy as well as embarking on guided walks of local sites with renowned local historian Jim Poulter (Reconciliation Manningham). With this knowledge, specific events and activities have been designed to connect the TC community with the significance of our local area and Wurundjeri people. By visiting, mapping, and learning about these places CIL week developer Ryan, "hopes to deepen our understanding of the importance of Country thereby reflecting on our own connection to place, the environment, its myriad species, and the stories within the landscape We are excited to share our learnings with the students and community".  Throughout the week, there will be a series of subject-specific activities, events and special incursions including a Welcome to Country and a whole school Indigenous Games day to "celebrate, play, and experience an immersive introduction into traditional Indigenous games". 

Whole school events

Tuesday:

Indigenous Games Day and Athletics Carnival with Wanyara 

Deadly DJ Mowson 
Traditional games
Painting and story-telling
https://www.wanyara.com.au/the-origins-of-our-games-1
(Consent required via Compass)

*In the event of forecasted heavy rain, we will notify the Community on Monday with alternative plans.

Thursday:

Start of the day P1 Welcome to Country with Wurundjeri artist Mandy Nicholson and Djirri Djirri (All classes welcome) 
P1 Entry Q&A with Mandy Nicholson

Friday:

Connect

Wurundjeri Country & Language mini-lessons

Connect TV

‘Our Place on Country’ feature episode Week 9

Subject-based activities:

All Food electives

Bush food experience 
The Bush Food Experience will be a live streamed/recorded talk on the Rain Garden at William Angliss TAFE. Students will also be cooking Wattle seed Damper in the TC pizza oven and Lemon Myrtle Anzac biscuits! The food experience will involve cooking with indigenous ingredients and learning about how they grow and what they taste like. 

Animals 

A guest First Nations wildlife presenter will be bringing several important native animals to the animals students and talking about their significance to local Indigenous people. 

Science/Photography 

The annual science photography competition is back and with awesome prizes! The winner will receive a $100 Camera House voucher and a double movie pass. The runner-up will also score a $50 Camera House voucher. Check out the community teams page for criteria!

Science

Exploring Force - a learning map of Birrarung 
The 'Exploring Force' was a learning journey about our Solutions course this term. It follows the path of Birrarung (Yarra River) and is modelled on the Aboriginal 8 Ways of Learning.

Tim’s Connect 

Working with stakeholders to explore the naming of TC Wings after significant local Aboriginal Change Makers. 
Tim Sproule's connect class came up with the idea of renaming the different parts of the school with names more relevant to country. "We spoke to Jim Poulter (a local historian who emailed us some ideas about where to start). We then started thinking about significant first nations people who we could name parts of the school after... we will be asking for input from the wider student body before putting our proposal to the School Leadership team".

Anna's Connect 

Mapping the Rapids - A collective map of Birrarung

Music 

Outing to Finn’s Reserve to compose songs inspired by Birrarung. 
"Finn's Reserve is a significant Wurundjeri place not only because of the presence of the river but also due to extensive archeological evidence of shell middens, mud ovens, permaculture and aquaculture. Many important trees suggest Songlines and cultural stories. As aspiring musicians, the Stage and Beyond students will discover how other songwriters have used the natural world as a source of inspiration for songs, and then ask how a sense of place is communicated through music".

English 

The Babbling Brook - Poetry Project 
Prep English - 'Dust Echoes' short stories
TC Street Podcast ‘Our Place on Country’ episode 
Ruffy Lake Poetry Immersion Excursion 
Aligned with the Entry English poetry unit this term, students will be going down to Finn's Reserve to check out the old aquaculture area. While learning more about the Reserve, students will be encouraged to "write poetry whilst thinking about their connection to country or anything they have learnt about the indigenous experience".

VCAL Senior 

Local walk and discussion about what the land was before colonisation - First Nations spotlight writing piece

VCAL Intermediate 

BBQ fundraiser at Indigenous Games Day

Maths 

8 ways in action: Sharing culture through symbols 
Throughout the FLE math classes, next week students will explore one way of indigenous learning. By using symbols and images, students will explore indigenous artwork and identify the symbols used, share the symbols and images that they use as adolescents (emojis, memes) and then share collective knowledge about all the maths symbols and images they are familiar with. 

Media Elective

Students’ connection to place
Inspired by a viewing of Bob Randall, a Yankunytjatjara elder and traditional owner of Uluru, telling his story of place on country, media students have explored indigenous stories of place on country and reflected on their own stories, brainstormed ideas, storyboarded visuals, filmed, drawn and photographed their interpretations and edited together a narrative for a presentation next week!

Art 

My Story through Pottery - Creating pottery adorned with personal symbology inspired  the Hermannsburg Potters 

Crime and Punishment

Looking at methods of communal law enforcement prior to colonisation    

VCE History Units 1&2

Watching videos of atomic testing at Maralinga (Indigenous sites) and discussing ongoing effects

Get ready for an exciting and educational week! 

• Learn more about 8 ways of Learning here: https://www.8ways.online/

• http://reconciliation-manningham.org.au/wp-

By Bonnie-Mai Smith 
TC Journalist

Student-Led Recycling Program

Since the start of the year, our TC school captains have participated in some amazing opportunities. In February, Maiya McClean was involved in TC's school review that occurs every four years and fellow captains Madeleine Ng and Kyra Teichtahl recently visited Parliament House with other School Captains from the Eastern Region. As part of school captaincy at TC, each of our captains have their own legacy projects. For Maiya's project, she's chosen to focus on sustainability and environmental education by developing a recycling program! 

Here, I asked Maiya a few questions about her school captaincy and legacy project. Read on.

Could you tell me about your role as a school captain?

Maiya: As School Captain, my role includes supporting my fellow students in collaborating and making plans to benefit TC, both as a school and community. I aim to facilitate discussions between students and staff to help new ideas for TC come to life! 
I participate in multiple weekly leadership meetings that revolve around whole-school activities, community announcements, student meetings, fundraiser ideas and the creation of each school captain's legacy project. 

What are legacy projects at TC?

Maiya: Kyra, Madie and I are the first School Captains to try and build ongoing projects and events that will continue after our year of leadership. This vision, created with the help of Sally Holloway, aims to make the School Captain role worthwhile by sparking inspiration in leaders and strengthening student collaboration.

What is your legacy project about?

Maiya: I've chosen my legacy to be based on sustainability within the school, and I'm currently in the process of creating a recycling program! I have many goals for this project so my intention is to stay connected to its development even after I graduate at the end of this year. As the definition of legacy suggests, I hope the projects that myself and my fellow School Captains are developing, stay a part of TC's community for years to come.

Why did you choose sustainability and environmental education as your legacy project?

Maiya: For years now I have been passionate about environmental education and action, and have worked hard to be in leadership roles to help spread awareness of our rapidly changing climate. I hope to encourage students to get inspired and learn how they can help build a more sustainable future through small changes in their daily routines.

How does your recycling program work? 

Maiya: With the help of Jeremy Carr, I've been able to find some potential companies to ship all the things we collect to be properly recycled. 
Tubs will be placed next to Jeremy's office in S-wing with labels indicating what materials go in each (they must be emptied and clean). Each month, some volunteers and I will sort through all the tubs and ship them off to companies who will recycle them for us! 
I'm running the program as a two-month trial to be able to get a clearer plan on which companies we'll be utilising the most! 
Make sure to drop off your items between August and October.

How can the TC community participate?

Maiya: Simply set up a small shoe-sized box somewhere in your home and start collecting things like bread tags, bottle caps and drop them off whenever it suits you. 

Donatable items include:
Household:

• Writing pens, highlighters, biros and markers

• Empty correction fluid and tape

• Plastic bottle top lids

• Plastic bread tags

• Single-use cutlery and straws

• Prescription drug packaging (blister packs)

• Filters

• Party supplies

• Coffee pods

Beauty:

• Toothpaste tubes, floss containers and old plastic toothbrushes

• Electric toothbrush heads

• Medical ointment tubes

• Hair gel tubes and caps

• Lib balm tubes

• Face soap dispensers and tubes

• Lotion bottles, tubes, dispensers and jars

• Shaving foam tubes (no cans)

• Plastic razors and blades

• Lip gloss tubes

• Mascara tubes

• Eyeliner pencils and cases

• Eyeshadow tubes

• Concealer tubes and sticks

• Medical blister packs

What are your aims and goals for the project?

Maiya: I have many short and long-term goals set for this project but I'm currently just focused on getting it up and running! I do, however, hope to make it as simple as possible so it can continue after I graduate. 
I aim to find companies we can rely on to recycle all the items we collect, and hopefully inspire students and future leaders to further develop the project in more sustainable ways. 
I'd absolutely love to one day have the items we recycle be exchanged for donations to a fundraiser, such as providing refugees with funding to purchase sustainable items for their new homes.
If you'd like to become a monthly volunteer or have any questions about the program, please contact Maiya McLean at mcl0015@tc.vic.edu.au

Stay tuned for more updates about the program. Let's start recycling!

By Bonnie-Mai Smith 
TC Journalist

Events Wrap

Over the last week and a half, TC held some awesome events, specifically the TC Market, Elevate Education Presentation and the Monash Psychology Sleep Incursion. To learn more, read on. 

TC Market:

Students Edward Astill and Jack Wheeler were the minds behind last Tuesday's TC Market. As part of their community health and wellbeing project, the two choose to run a market featuring stalls, live music and food. Students and staff could grab a snag and browse the stalls run by TC students while jamming out to some tunes performed by TC's resident musos. Stalls included handmade jewellery, stickers, crochet and more! 

Elevate Education Presentation:

On Monday this week, guest speakers from Elevate Education delivered a valuable talk to our VCE students. The multi-award-winning study skills provider came to TC last semester to discuss organisation, motivation, time-management, note-taking and confidence in abilities. This semester their interactive talk focused on, utilising memory mnemonics and speeding up memorisation. This presentation was a great opportunity for students to learn more about how they can improve their performance. 

Monash Psychology Sleep Incursion:

On Wednesday and Friday this week, TC had some very exciting guests! Aligned with the Unit 4 Psychology curriculum, Monash University came and performed a practical sleep demonstration. The incursion involved a "comprehensive 1.5- hour sleep education session [that covered] the purpose of sleep, normal sleep patterns, identification of sleep stages and how these are interpreted using EEG, EOG and EMG, the effects of sleep deprivation and recovery sleep and adolescent sleep patterns". During the Wednesday session, student LJ was wired up to a portable sleep diagnostic device while the other students observed his brain waves (EEG), eye movements (EOG), heart (ECG) and muscle tone (EMG). 

Congrats to all students and staff behind the events!

Check out some of the vendors for the TC Market:

Nouche Jewellery: 
http://nouchejewellery.com/
https://www.instagram.com/nouche_jewellery/

Little Nick Nacks:
https://linktr.ee/Littlenicknacks

Elevate Education: https://au.elevateeducation.com/

Monash Sleep Program: https://www.monash.edu/turner-institute/community/vce-psychology-sleep-program

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

Subject Expo

Save the date! After three years, TC's subject expo is finally back. This Wednesday, the 27th of July, expect bundles of fun and valuable information regarding subjects for 2023. The expo will be held in S-Wing (bottom of the school) from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. Information sessions will also be held in S-Wing, about the transition from Entry to the FLE program and FLE transitioning into VCE.
Sessions:
2:30 & 3:30 pm - Entry students moving into the FLE (Flexible learning environment)
3:30 & 4:30 pm - FLE moving into VCE

Each faculty area will have their own snazzy booths, featuring information about their subjects and pathways.
You can try out a wide range of delightful props in the photo booth, run by the Photography Elective students and grab a hot chocolate, coffee or a waffle from the Food Tech.
With a growing number of unique visitors to their website, Yelling at Children will be on show! The site is entirely written and edited by the Level Up: Game-Based Writing students.
If you hear a few crying babies, no need to fear it's just the Health classes Realtek babies!
Head to the Music booth to grab some freebies and don’t forget to say hi to the mudskippers, rats and lizard at the Animals stall. Student work will also be showcased in most areas and you can see examples of text books and typical class activities for all our TC subjects.

With course counselling and subject selection later in the term, it is strongly recommended the TC community attend this event. Don’t forget Student Parent Teacher Conferences are also in Week 3 & 4 with a focus on planning ahead for 2023 so the subject expo is a great opportunity to meet staff, ask questions and gain student insight into the subjects at TC.
Hope to see you all there!

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

The Pat Cronin Foundation - Be Wise Presentation 🦉

Welcome back! On Wednesday, the Pat Cronin Foundation (PCF) came down to TC and talked to the FLE 2 & 3 students regarding the importance of preventing social violence, making good choices and looking after your mates. In the past PCF has come out to TC but sadly, their work was impacted by COVID, so it was great for them to see them back!

On Saturday, the 16th of April 2016 after playing his first senior footy game, Pat Cronin went out for a few quiet drinks with mates. A brawl started to build outside the pub and Pat stepped in to pull a friend away. He was then, punched in the head from behind. Sadly, Pat was taken to the hospital unconscious and two days later, passed away. After the tragic death of their son, Robyn and Matt Cronin established the PCF in hopes to raise awareness, education and research about the Coward Punch. 

Seeking education surrounding the Cowards Punch the foundation has developed a highly successful 'Be Wise presentation' which aims to "address the psychological, social and economic impacts of violent acts... It encourages students to reflect on attitudes and behaviours around anger and aggression and together discuss strategies to deal with these issues personally, and as mates and bystanders". 

Throughout the presentation, students gained an insight into Pat Cronin's story and the effects of how students can "create solutions to Be Wise, Think Carefully and Act Kindly". For presentation organiser Ryan Griffith, the talk is "so meaningful and relevant for our students. As young people become young adults it is important to consider the consequences of one’s actions and to know that we can all play a part in reducing violence in our communities".

For more info on the foundation: https://patcroninfoundation.org.au/
Check out their Instagram page for updates: https://www.instagram.com/patcroninfoundation/?hl=en

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist