Next Week @ TC

13/02/2026

• Principal’s message

  • Coffee sessions have begun - book now

  • New mobile phone policy begins Monday

• Panorama Bus use - bus capacity & student meeting next Monday for all Panorama bus users

• Edrolo - payment extension until 20 February

• Bringing your dog to school

• Term 1 Clubs poster out now

• Animals Uniform orders now open

• Join us for our Animals Expo - Tues 24 February at 5pm

• Term 1 Connect

• 17 February 2026 - Lunar New Year - Year of the Horse

• Important reminders:

  • Driving through the school grounds - important information about traffic flow & safety

  • Instrumental Music - limited places still available

It was great to finish off the Community Assemblies this week; having time to speak to each Community at the start of the year is important. The exciting aspect of this is the student leadership on show, as the student leaders run these assemblies. My main message to the students is the strength of student voice and choice at TC: including planning your own learning program, student clubs, student leadership, school activities, and the community events that happen each week.    

I had my first ‘Coffee with the Principal’ session this morning where I enjoyed the company of seven parents. We chatted about the school, the students, and about things that are important to education. Bookings can be made using the relevant link below:

☕Book for face-to-face sessions here.

🌐Book for online sessions here.

Student achievement

On Tuesday I shared breakfast with a group of students who were awarded subject awards in Unit 3 and 4 (Year 12) classes last year. This is an amazing academic achievement for these students and I was delighted to celebrate with them and talk to them about their experience.   

School tours for Entry 2027 & 2028

We hosted a large tour on Thursday for prospective students and parents. The transition from primary school to secondary school is managed through primary schools but it is important for us to have clear messaging about the programs and philosophy that is TC. These tours will continue whilst parents are making decisions about secondary schools.  

Monday is the launch date of the updated Mobile Phone Policy. After a 2-week soft launch, starting Monday, any phones seen during the school day will be confiscated by staff. These will be stored in the Assistant Principal’s office and can be collected at the end of the day.

We have communicated this change in policy several times to students and the community and have asked students to make sure their phones are stored securely. We don’t want this to cause conflict but know we must follow the ministerial order.

Students who need an exemption under the policy are asked to speak to their CET leaders on Monday to organise these exemptions. These will be noted on COMPASS and will explain the circumstances in which some students can use their phone.

Our policy will be updated on our website today. The basics of the ministerial order can be found at Department Mobile Phone Policy.

I would also like to remind students and families that the school does not take any responsibility for lost, damaged, or stolen phones as per departmental policy. We encourage families to ensure their phones are covered by their own insurance.

We look forward to working with students and families whilst we all get used to working within the updated policy.

Kind regards,

Daryl Bennett 
Principal 

A reminder that our St Helena, Research/Park West and Diamond Creek buses are at or near capacity.    

STUDENT MEETING - ALL PANORAMA BUS USERS

All students who use the Panorama bus service are asked to meet Assistant Principal Darren Irvine in the PAC at Recess 2 on Monday for an urgent meeting regarding the buses.

🚏PTV alternative travel options to the Panorama buses: 

Students using the St Helena bus that get off at Bolton Street, please consider using the PTV route 293 bus service. To access this, exit the school via the gate behind S-Wing, walk to the corner of Montpellier Crescent and Williamsons Road. This bus will stop just at the base of Bolton street. 

✅All students can travel on PTV buses for free from January 1, provided they have a Youth Myki. These can be purchased for $5 from 7-Eleven stores or participating train stations or register online.  

The Edrolo cut-off date has been extended to next Friday 20 February. If payment is not made by this time, students will temporarily lose access to the subject material.

🔗 Activate here:
https://edrolo.com.au/activate/vpm-euh/

✉️ When entering your email address, please ensure you are using your school-provided account: ***@tc.vic.edu.au

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Natalie Martin at nmar@tc.vic.edu.au

🐾 Would you like to bring your dog to school? 🐶

Here at TC, we allow students and staff to bring in their pets throughout the week. 🏫🐾There is a limit of six pets that can be brought to school on any given day. 🗓️ Jeremy Carr manages the bookings in an Outlook calendar throughout the year.

Pets must have the following characteristics to be brought to school:

✅ Mild temperament
✅ Under owner control
✅ Friendly
✅ Enjoy human contact

🐕 Dogs must be able to walk on a loose lead. Cats, rabbits, ferrets, rats, birds and other pets not trained to walk on a lead must come in an appropriate carrier. 🐈🐇🐀🐦 All pets out of carriers must be toilet trained and be kept on leads during the school day.

Please also consider your timetabled classes on the days that you wish to bring your pet.
Pets can't be brought to:

🚫 PE Classes
🚫 Animals Classes
🚫 Science Classes in which experiments are taking place

To book your pet in, please see Jeremy in S-Wing or send him a message on Teams at least a week before you would like to bring your pet in. 💬

Jeremy Carr

The Clubs for Term 1 are now finalised, please see below🎭🎶🩰🎲⚽❄️

The Clubs poster is updated once each term, however club changes or new clubs can be discussed with Katrina Katz at any time.

Students have the option to purchase items from the Working with Animals uniform range. 🧢 While optional, this uniform is highly recommended for students volunteering at Animals Program events. 🐑🐐 Students may choose to wear the uniform daily or for special events such as the Animals Expo, Trivia Night, or Mango Fundraiser. 🥭

Students can try on available sizes in the Animals Staffroom prior to ordering. Please note that exchanges are not possible, as all items are embroidered with the TC Animals logo. 🪡🧵

📦 There is a minimum order quantity required for each item. Orders and payments will be processed after the due date to ensure minimum numbers are met.

📅 Order Due Date: Friday 27 February

An order form is available below and can also be picked up at the Front Office. 📝 Please complete and return the form with payment by the due date. 💳

🐾 You’re Invited to Our Animals Expo! 🦜

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet and greet our furry, feathered and scaly friends 🐷🦙🐑🦎🐥

✨ Open to all — TC families, friends, neighbours, future families and animal enthusiasts are warmly welcome.

📅 Tuesday 24 February
⏰ 5:00pm–6:30pm
📍 Tours begin at the entrance of the Joo Thong Paddock (behind S-Wing)
🚗 Parking is available on the oval. Please note the rear exit of the school will be closed.

We look forward to seeing you there! 🐟

🌱Term 1 is a busy time in Connect. This term is all about building relationships, routines, and setting goals for the year. Many students are building on positive relationships established in previous years; others are meeting their new Connect Mentors and getting to know each other.

🎯All students will set attendance and Expanded Measures of Success (EMS) goals by choosing an area that they want to develop personally throughout the term. Our EMS domains of Working With Others, Independence, Creative Thinking, Technology, and Active Citizenship provide students with a framework for understanding their strengths and areas for development in skills that they can take beyond the classroom and into their lives. These goals will be pinned to their Compass profile so students and their parents/carers can refer to them, and so staff can guide students towards achieving or refining their goals as the year rolls along.   

👥Many groups are meeting with their year levels for special gatherings about formals, events, careers, course expectations, and camps. Other year levels are coming together to learn about AI, mis/dis-information, and digital safety which is a big focus of the Connect program this year. This learning ties into important Respectful Relationships and social-emotional learning outcomes.  

🤝Most importantly, students are connecting with their peers and Mentors in a wide range of valuable ways that help to form a supportive net for each student at the school. We encourage parents to talk with their young people about Connect and help them to foster long-term thinking in terms of how these supportive relationships can be formed, maintained, and relied upon by students as they navigate the ebbs and flows of high school life.   

If you have any questions, ideas, or feedback about Connect, please contact Ryan Griffith (Director of Community Integrated Learning) at RGR@tc.vic.edu.au.  

We would like to wish everyone who celebrates a prosperous year ahead. 

We have 48 international students who celebrate this festival and many other local families, teachers and staff. 

In the spirit of lunar new year the canteen will be selling spring rolls, fried rice and noodles on Tuesday. 

🚗🚗During drop off and pick up times, traffic flow is strictly one way & drop and go in the left lane only – no parking. Please see last week’s edition for more detailed information regarding traffic flow and safety.

We have limited places available for late enrolments into our Instrumental Music program. 

🎻 Violin/Viola – 6 places
💻 Music Tech – 2 places
🎷 Saxophone – we need a minimum of 4 new enrolments

If your student is interested, please contact Kyle in the music office at kcl@tc.vic.edu.au for more information.