Next Week @TC

20/10/2023

• Congratulations to the graduating class of 2023

• A reminder - TC College Council AGM This Thursday

• TCNEWS - Department of Education Visibility Project

Congratulations to the graduating class of 2023

Congratulations to our graduating students, families and friends for joining us yesterday a great day of festivities we hope all grads enjoyed the fabulous send off they deserved. A link to all the photos, videos and presentations will be emailed to families on Monday - please note this email will come from Compass, please check your junk if you do not receive it.

A Reminder - TC COLLEGE COUNCIL AGM

Notice is hereby given for the TC College Council AGM taking place on Thursday 26th October. This is an open meeting that we have decided to hold online this year. You can register for the event by clicking on this link.

The agenda is:

1. Acknowledgment of Country (Claire O’Sullivan)

2. Report of Key Activities and Achievements of College Council (Claire O’Sullivan/Peter Ellis)

3. Presentation of Annual Report (which can be found online here)

   1. School Context - Peter Ellis

   2. Wellbeing and Engagement - Katrina Katz

   3. Achievement - Wendy Gooley

   4. Finance - Iona Hayes

4. Introduction of the 2023 – 2024 College Council members

5. Meeting closes

Questions will be collected electronically throughout the meeting. The answers will then be shared electronically after the meeting.

Department of Education Visibility Project

Last week our TC Journalist’s had the opportunity to shadow Principal Peter Ellis while a film crew from the department of education’s leadership academy were visiting to interview and film him. They were able to interview the interviewees of the project, watch the production process and be involved in filming. Read on to find out more.

Pre Interview

On Thursday, 12 October, a small team arrived at TC to film, and interview Peter Ellis and capture the leadership that the TC community demonstrates. Before the filming started, we had the privilege of interviewing Melanie Edgar and Simone Eirth from the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership, and we asked them what they were hoping to capture in their short film of TC. 

Out of twelve schools to interview, TC was the first. Melanie and Simone said that they wanted to capture the 'exceptional leadership', that Peter Ellis and TC display.

We also asked them what the aim of the filming was, and they replied, 'We want to tell the story of Victoria's highest-quality educators,' They explained that they hoped to use the completed product to 'inform' and 'connect' parents with the understanding of who's in charge of developing the students as they 'progress through their education years'.

Overall, it was a pleasure to speak with such dedicated and passionate educational leaders and I can't wait to see the release of the final product!

By Mietta Palmer

Peter’s Interview

For the visibility project, Peter took the Academy down to the brand-new library to film the A-Roll.  This project is a video series profiling a range of leaders in education, including principals, assistant principals and middle leaders which aims to raise the standing of the education profession with the public and to improve the general public’s perception of the high quality of Victoria’s educators as well as, raise awareness of the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership.

While the crew set up all the lighting and sound, Melanie prepped Peter for the questions and once the crew was all set up, the interview began. Melanie began to ask Peter questions about public education and what sets TC apart. In response to "What excites you most about your role as a leader in education?", Peter replied that "we're pushing on the boundaries of what education looks like." Our global recognition for progressive education is exciting and "making a difference".

Peter also mentioned the unique relationship fostered between students and staff here at TC. "We're focusing on students and we see is our students. They're learning more. They're getting excited about learning," he exclaimed. "They're leaving the school with smiles on their faces and so happy with what they achieved that we see the excitement building in our staff." 

Overall the interview was a compelling conversation between the Academy and Peter. Despite the terrible downpour, laughs were shared and relationships formed. It was great to share all the great things TC are achieving and we can't wait to see the video come out later in the year.

By Bonnie-Mai Smith

Filming with the Academy

After the interview with Peter, the film crew from The Academy decided that they needed some footage from around the school. Some students including me were chosen to be part of the B-roll. We had the opportunity to engage in various activities, such as pretending to do artwork whilst chatting with Peter Ellis in the art hub. We talked about what we had for dinner and what our favorite desserts were for me it is the caramel pudding my mum makes, which my family calls a sandy. The reason we talked even though the footage wouldn't have sound was so that the final cut of us all talking, looks more natural.

Next up was, walking in the foyer of the Performing Arts Center, Mietta and I were chosen for this task pretending to have an in-depth conversation with Peter while walking. It took a few goes to get our walk perfected but we got it in the end.

The last shot of the B-roll was taken in the drama teacher's office at the Performing Arts Center. The cameraman wanted to capture Peter conversing with some of the teachers that attend TC. All of this footage is then cut and placed as background footage interlocking with the main footage of Peter Ellis in his interview to create an understanding of the school and how it operates.  

By Ruby Egan-Douglas

This was a great experience for us all, and if you ever get a chance to ask Peter what his favourite dessert is, you should, the answer might surprise you!

Last Weeks Announcements

• Anti-Semitism Workshops in Connect Week 4&5

• Carenet Donations

• Changes to the local bus networks starting on 15 October!

• TC Community Market

• Students with POTS

Anti-Semitism Workshops in Connect Week 4 and 5

Over Weeks 4 and 5 all TC students will engage in Anti-Semitism workshops in their Connect classes. An informative and engaging set of workshops have been developed by TC Humanities staff in line with Department of Education guidelines. The rise of antisemitic sentiment both in Australia and internationally means that it is more important now than ever for TC students to be informed about the Holocaust, as well as how antisemitism continues today. The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East over the weekend adds further complexity to these issues. An email has been sent to all families by Principal, Peter Ellis, with details on ways to support your children at this difficult time.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Katrina Katz - Assistant Principal - Community and Wellbeing

Carenet donations

For the month of October, we are running a food donation drive for local charity Carenet. Carenet provides meals and food supplies to our local community with the aim of reducing food insecurity. Carenet's values of respect, dignity, generosity, and collaboration resonate with TC's values of empowerment and active citizenship. We encourage TC students and families to get on board and donate what they can.

We will be collecting donations of non-perishable foods for the whole month of October. Please deliver donations to the front of S Wing where there are boxes for each TC Colour Community. See Amy Jess in Wellbeing with any questions. Please see the attached info brochure for specific donation requests. For more info please visit https://www.carenet.org.au/

Changes to the local bus networks starting on 15 October!

The following services will be impacted with new routes and timetables starting this weekend:

SmartBus Route 903 Mordialloc – Altona will be realigned along Elgar Road to provide more than 1000 extra services to Deakin University each week. The realignment will provide a faster, more direct connection between Box Hill Station and Deakin University.

There will be extra Saturday morning short trips to the university too.

Route 201 Box Hill – Deakin University will increase frequency to every 15 minutes all day to deliver more services to the community and to Deakin University.

Route 281 Templestowe – Deakin University will be shortened to stop at Box Hill Station.

Route 271 Box Hill – Ringwood via Park Orchards will have Sunday services for the first time.

Route 768 Box Hill – Deakin University via Canterbury Road will be discontinued as it is a low patronage and frequency service that duplicates other routes. Savings from discontinuing Route 768 will be reinvested into boosting the frequency of Route 201.

Route 766 Box Hill – Burwood via Surrey Hills passengers will benefit from better Saturday frequencies, the introduction of a Sunday timetable and improved operating hours. Route 766 will also be realigned closer to Union Station, making it easier to transfer between bus and train services.

TC Community Market

TC will be holding a community market on the 10th of November 2:30pm onwards. Save the date!

Does your young person have POTS?

Would you like to link in with other parents, carers and guardians l to connect and support each other and talk about your young people and what the diagnosis means for them.

Please reach out to Amy Jess via email at AJES@tc.vic.edu.au if you are interested, so I can link you together.

Last Weeks Announcements

• Victorian Education Excellence Awards - TC Shortlisted!

• Save the dates

• MAP Parent Q&A Session

• Work Experience/SWL (Structured Workplace Learning) Update

• Asthma Information

• End of Year Arrangements - An Overview

Victorian Education Excellence Awards - TC Shortlisted!

To add to the recent award of TC as Australian Government School of the Year, TC has been shortlisted by the Department of Education in the Victorian Education Excellence Awards. The school has been shortlisted in the category of Provision for High Ability Students Secondary School. This shortlisting was based on the programs on offer at the school that allow students to accelerate, such as the Jumpstart Maths program amongst the way that all students have an individualised learning plan. There will be more information to follow on this shortlisting. The awards ceremony are being held at the end of October.

Save the dates

We have two student-free days occurring in Term 4. Please save the following dates:

• Monday 6th November - Curriculum Day (the day before Melbourne Cup)

• Friday 24th November - Staff professional practice day

These dates are also available on the Compass calendar.

Work Experience/SWL (Structured Workplace Learning) Update

Structured workplace learning provides students with the opportunity to integrate on-the-job experience with secondary study as part of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), the VCE Vocational Major or the Victorian Pathways Certificate. It is aimed at students in FLE 3 and above.

We encourage all students to be involved in SWL as it provides the opportunity for:

• enhanced skill development

• practical application of industry knowledge

• assessment of units of competency

• achievement of some learning outcomes

• enhanced employment opportunities

Work experience is where you get to spend time at a workplace and see what the people who work there do. You get to experience the daily operations of a business or organisation. It is also important for you to ask any questions you might have.  

We encourage all students to engage in work experience as it provides the opportunity for:

• Pin down your future goals

• Gain fist hand experience of a job

• Improve your knowledge and skills

• Build network of contacts

• See how the world works

It is a requirement that schools must ensure they implement a policy when planning for and conducting structured workplace learning arrangements, to ensure compliance with legislation.

Work experience and SWL can be arranged through direct communication with an employer or through the Structured Workplace Learning Statewide Portal.  If a student shows interest in an opportunity through the Statewide Portal, the placement will be organised through the TC careers department and GatewayLLEN.

Paperwork must be submitted seven days prior to the placement date this allows for processing and school approval. If the paperwork is not submitted in time, it will not be approved, therefore the placement cannot take place.

School Contact/Careers Advisor: Kate Buchanan kbuc@tc.vic.ecu.au

The required paperwork for SWL:

• SWL Arrangement Form (signed by the employer, the student, the parent/guardian)

• SWL Travel Form if required (signed by the employer, the student, the parent/guardian)

• safe@work module certificate – General

• safe@work module certificate – Industry specific

The required paperwork for Work Experience:

• Work Experience Arrangement Form (signed by the employer, the student, the parent/guardian)

• Work Experience Travel Form if required (signed by the employer, the student, the parent/guardian)

• safe@work module certificate – General

• safe@work module certificate – Industry specific

When the required paperwork is received, we will obtain the Principal’s signature and add the work placement details to the students compass as an approved school activity.

A student is not authorised to commence work placement without school approval. If a student commences placement without submitting signed paperwork it will negatively impact their school attendance.

To discuss work experience or SWL, obtain the required paperwork, information on safe@work modules or any questions please see Kate Buchanan for more information.

For more information please visit: Work Experience: Policy | education.vic.gov.au

Please be aware this information is provided for structured workplace learning and work experience opportunities within Victoria. Interstate opportunities will have to be submitted for consideration and approved by the school. We cannot accommodate for any overseas placements.

Asthma Information

END OF YEAR ARRANGEMENTS - AN OVERVIEW

For those looking ahead to the end of the year arrangements:

• Tuesday 28th November - whole school assembly

• Wednesday 29th November - last day of 2023 classes

• Thursday 30th November - 2024 classes (Headstart program) begin for all except those in Entry class in 2024.

• Wednesday 6th December - Last day of VCE classes as part of 2024 Headstart program

• Thursday 7th December - 2024 classes continue for Headstart week 2. No VCE Classes run.

• Thursday 14th December - Activity Week Commences. Alternative program running.

• Wednesday 20th December - Last day of year. Students dismissed before 1pm.

Previous TCNEWS Articles

This term TC NEWS has an exciting announcement, we are pleased to expand our team of journalists as Bonnie plans to finish up soon and focus on her exams in a few weeks. Please enjoy their first collaborative article.

Bonnie-voyage!

Oh, what a ride it has been!

This term marks my last as Journalist of Next Week @ TC. After three years and a whopping 99 stories, I am stepping down as Journalist of Next Week @ TC. Now, it is time for me to write the next chapter of my life, as my final days at TC are fast approaching. 

When dipping my toes into the waters of journalism, I could have never predicted that it would change the trajectory of my life.

For those who may not know, the opportunity to become a TC Journalist came in 2021 when I applied for the Facebook Admin job through the Student Employability Skills Program. Though I did not get that position, a new one fell onto my lap as Sophie Ellis asked me if I would be interested in a brand new job, writing for the school publication. Thus, a journalist was born!

For my first story, I was assigned to a piece about Connect TV. While the show now seems like a staple of TC's culture, in 2021 it was a new feature of Connect. I could not have been more terrified, but something pushed me to take a chance, even though I had never written anything besides English essays. While I look back on the article and slightly cringe, speaking with someone like Ryan Griffith was the best way to kick-start my journey as a journalist. With every passing article, I fell more in love with writing and the passionate humans I was lucky enough to work with. 

It turned out to be the best adventure I have ever taken. And ever since then, writing stories that the TC community could rely on, became a part of who I was, during times of both good and bad. Almost every venture I would later take - Taylor Swift Fan Club, Consultancy, College Council and of course, College Captain would not have been possible without TC News.

For three years, writing a weekly story was my routine. Every Friday submitting it was no small feat. The late nights, the interviews, the countless messages daily, and the stress of continuous weekly deadlines while keeping up with the demands of my schoolwork.

But the satisfaction overtook much of the stress. I am so tremendously proud of all we’ve achieved, and the stories we’ve delivered. The connections and engagement we’ve acquired from the community and beyond, truly mean the world. 

It’s impossible to sum up three years in one article. I am so grateful for the many opportunities I've had. Following Peter Ellis around the school for a day has to be one of the highlights, as well as the Student Showcase, the Hedwig the Chicken story featuring leaders at Templestowe Heights Primary and the many drama and dance performances. But the student success stories I focused on last term, is a project that I have great pride in! Coming up with puns each week began to consume me. Sharing the stories of the extraordinary students at TC, made me grow as a writer and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. 

To Sophie, I am so grateful to have had the chance to learn and flourish with your guidance. Without your enthusiasm, unfailing support and endless stream of pitches for the next story, these stories and well, I, would have been lost. Thank you, Sophie, for taking a chance on me three years ago and giving me the space to use my voice in a meaningful, impactful way. I am beyond proud of the work we have done together.

Thank you to the people of TC – both staff and students – for sharing your talents, time and curiosity with me. Writing about your performances, and interviewing you about your student businesses, clubs, markets, achievements and so much more has been a gift. It truly takes a village to write stories and we've accomplished great things. 

To my friends and family, thank you for letting me pester you for feedback on my articles!

And to the reader, when I first began writing, I truly had no clue that people would be reading TC News. But having people come and tell me they enjoyed my stories has meant the world to me. I  appreciate you taking the time out of your crowded schedules to engage with the stories. 

In this period of transition over the next term, students Mietta Palmer, Ruby Eagan-Douglas and Rory Opie will continue to share stories each week, with the guidance of Sophie. Next week will be my final article and while I am teary-eyed writing this now, I am confident that I am leaving TC News in the most capable of hands, and I cannot wait to scour over the weekly publication and watch the growth that continues to happen.

In the meantime, you haven’t seen the last of me – I plan on undertaking a Bachelor of Professional Communications/Digital Communications at RMIT next year (If I get in), to hopefully end up somewhere in the Public Relations world and continue to pursue as many different opportunities as I can!

Next Week @ TC truly holds all of the best memories from my high school experience.

Thank you all for your many years of encouragement and support.

It’s a bittersweet goodbye and the hardest I have yet to make.

As always, 

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

Term 4 - Help Out, Give Back, CIL on Track

Clean up, catch a busking act, and give back – it’s Community Integrated Learning time!

Welcome back to Term 4! This term's Community Integrated Learning (CIL) theme is set to be bigger and better than ever, running across the whole term, 'Give Back' brings fantastic activities that you will love, plus some killer community projects.

“The focus of this theme is to encourage students to contribute to both the school community and the broader community through active citizenship and involvement in projects that improve the lives of members of our community," says Director of Community Integrated Learning, Ryan Griffith. "Students have the opportunity to sign up for one-off events, as well as participating in events during Connect, and during their classes."

For the month of October, TC will be running a food donation drive for local charity Carenet. This organisation works against food insecurity by providing meals and supplies to people in need. We will be collecting donations of non-perishable foods for the whole month in the front of S Wing where there are boxes for each TC Colour Community.

"Carenet's values of respect, dignity, generosity, and collaboration resonate with TC's values of empowerment and active citizenship," Ryan Griffith exclaimed. "We encourage TC students and families to get on board and donate what they can."

The Fare Share Kitchen is one of the must-do opportunities this term. Students will work in a commercial-style kitchen, taking action and preparing over 2,000 meals in a commercial-style kitchen. The meals will then be delivered to a range of people from all over the community. There are only 16 places per community, so jump on board and sign up now!

A staple of CIL are the subject-based activities which will be running this term too, in week five and six, the Sports-Skill class are going to 'give back' to Templestowe Heights and make a difference in the lives of younger students by teaching them different sport skills. The student's exceptional knowledge will help the primary school students learn the fundamentals of various sports. The excursion not only benefits the younger students who are learning new sports and having fun, but it also helps the TC students develop leadership and communication skills. They have the opportunity to be role models and make a positive impact on their community. This initiative is a great way for students to get involved in the community and give back while doing something they love. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved, and it's a great way to promote sports and physical activity among young people!

In addition, our TC Musos will be busking to raise money for local charities and Animals students volunteering at Halls Gap Zoo, plus more. Speak with your teachers about what your class is doing in Term 4 to give back!

Students are giving back to the elderly as well. Ryan is working with the VM students, in collaboration with Swinburne University, the Manningham Council, and the Chinese Senior Citizens Club of Manningham, to go out every Tuesday to the library and get to know our local senior citizens. Their first session was on Tuesday, and Ryan thought it was "really lovely." The senior citizens didn't know much English, so students and the seniors were using Google Translate to tell each other stories, which, according to Ryan, was "really gorgeous." Together through digital storytelling, the partnership will end with a "mini film festival" of digital stories told by our VM students and senior citizens. That's certainly something to look forward to!

A new CIL theme means a new Connect focus! As you may already know, "the sessions are about each group creating their own identity forging their own relationship with their mentor and creating rituals and routines that suit the group," Ryan explained.

In line with 'Give Back', twice throughout the term, each community will take turns to step out as the "Ruffey Lake Clean Up Crew" and help tidy up our local park. These clean-up campaigns will aim to raise awareness about the scale of the litter problem and get our community thinking about simple, yet effective ways of how we can give back. Other Connect groups are hosting morning teas where everyone brings some food to share, but in addition, will bring an extra something to donate to Care Net.

Some sessions during the Wednesday and Friday sessions will include a focus on anti-racism. With the rise of disinformation, and misinformation that can spread negative stereotypes about various people and their race, the Connect team want to be on the "front foot" and encourage our community to "step up and be an upstander... when we see something that we don't like the feeling of or the sound of".

Towards the end of the year, groups will focus on planning a celebration to commemorate a wonderful year!

Make sure to check out the attached calendar to see when things are happening. The calendar will evolve as the term unfolds so be sure to follow Compass posts and Community pages.

So what are you waiting for? Be a part of something bigger than yourself. After all, Connect is called 'Connect' for a reason!

By Bonnie-Mai Smith, Rory Opie, Ruby Egan-Douglas & Mietta Palmer
TC Journalist

Fareshare Kitchen excursions: https://www.fareshare.net.au/melbourne/
To secure your spot use the link in your Community Team or DM Meg Bailey on Teams.
Dates: 16/11 Blue, 20/11 Green, 21/11 Gold, 23/11 Red

Ruffy Creek Clean-Up Crew: sign up via Community Pages and Compass Date: 26/10

Busking for Charity: see Brayden or Madi if you are interested in joining the TC Musos as they busk at Macedon to raise funds for local charities.

Or perhaps you have your own idea for an event or activity? See Ryan if you'd like to bring your idea to life for the benefit of our community.

Our survey for 2024 Community Integrated Learning themes is still open! Have your say here:

Families and parents - https://forms.office.com/r/pPGhMHuFYQ
Students - https://forms.office.com/r/WL7JQZi98R

Any questions or ideas, please contact RGR@tc.vic.edu.au.