Next Week @ TC

21/08/2026

• Principal’s Message

• 2027 Subject Selection Process and Course Counselling Day (Wednesday 26 August)
  No classes running Wednesday 26 August.

• Know the Score Gambling awareness incursion - Thursday 27 August

• ManCave or STRIVE Day - Tuesday 1 September

• World’s Greatest Shave - donate or sign up now

• Avian Influenza precautions at TC
  

Reminders:

• Permaculture Promotion Month

• Unleash - Save the date, Friday 11 September

• TC news: All About Animals

The celebrations at TC continue with our students achieving outstanding results in academics, technology and robotics, and community leadership awards to name a few. Recently we have celebrated a Premier’s award in Physics from 2025, A finalist in the Manningham Youth Leadership Awards, and had teams excel in robotics competitions. Every week I am amazed at the breadth of achievements.  

This week I was also thrilled to celebrate an award from Bank First for Matt Plummer’s work in the Tradie Training course. Brian Leo from Bank First was very impressed by what he saw when he visited to present Matt with the award. 

Course planning

The planning for 2027 is underway with students making selections for their subjects and revisiting their 5-year plans.

Part of this work is transitioning to a new platform that will allow better course planning for students. As with all new systems we expect some teething problems. If you have any concerns, please contact your student’s Connect teacher or Community team.  

Assistant Principal roles

After a statewide recruitment process, I have the pleasure of announcing the successful appointment to the three Assistant Principals roles that we had advertised for 2027-2030.

Congratulations to Ceri Davies (Engagements and Wellbeing), Darren Irvine (Staffing and Operations), and Liam O’Neill (Teaching and Learning).  

Smoking, Vaping, Alcohol, and other drugs

This week I have been in conversation with some other Principals where the issue of Smoking, Vaping, Alcohol, and other drugs in schools was discussed. This provoked me to give a reminder to our community around our school policy, and zero tolerance, regarding these issues. You can read our policy at TC - Smoking, Vaping, Alcohol and Drugs Policy If you have any concerns about this please contact your child’s Community Director or a member of the Principal Class at the school for follow up and support.   

Have a great week. 

Daryl Bennett 
Principal

🗓️ Friday 14 August (5.00pm: Course Counselling bookings opened on Compass)

If you are yet to make an appointment with your child’s Connect Mentor please do so at your earliest convenience.

• 🗓️ Wednesday 26 August (8:00am) Course Counselling Bookings close on Compass 

• 🗓️ Wednesday 26 August: Course Counselling Day – (No classes will run on this day) a 15-minute online meeting with your child and their Connect Mentor to review their 5-year plan and confirm their 2027 subjects. 

We encourage families to discuss subject selections and future pathways together before the Course Counselling meeting to help make the process as productive as possible. 

 Student subject preferences determine the subjects that will run and the number of classes we will need to meet demand. Active participation in this process and attending a Course Counselling Day meeting will have a direct impact on the subjects students have access to and gives your child the best possible chance of being placed in their elective subjects.

 The 2027 Subject Selection website is available at www.subjects.tc.vic.edu.au and includes updated subject information, pathway guidance, videos and resources to help guide you and your child through the subject selection process. 

 If you have any questions, please contact your child's Connect Mentor. 

Kind regards, 

Liam O’Neill
Acting Assistant Principal - Learning 

🗓️ Know the Score Gambling awareness session for MAP and VM trade students will run on Thursday 27 August during Period 3. Check Compass for room allocation.

🗓️ Coming up in Week 8 all FLE2 students will be attending a wellbeing and development program with either ManCave or STRIVE Day.

Andrea Carydias – TC Teacher: Health Promotion/Relationships and Sexuality Education  

TC is participating in the World's Biggest Shave!

Volunteers will have their hair shaved, cut or coloured to raise money for leukemia research at lunchtime on Tuesday 15 September by the Shave Shuttle. 

To sign up to participate send Meg (MBAI) a Teams message. 

Following Victoria’s avian influenza outbreak in 2024, the College strengthened its biosecurity practices. These measures have remained in place, supported by a biosecurity action plan developed in line with Agriculture Victoria’s recommendations. In response to the arrival of H5N1, we have introduced further precautions across our animal facilities.

These measures include:

• Improving waste-disposal practices so uneaten seed and food scraps do not attract wild birds.

• Keeping all bird food and water vessels under cover and away from enclosure mesh.

• Using dedicated brushes, detergent, cleaning tools and equipment within aviaries.

• Installing a temporary partition in the Aviary for Life enclosure to prevent our birds from accessing the mesh roof, while maintaining ample space for them to fly and exercise.

• Netting the Permaculture duck pond to discourage wild ducks from congregating.

• Providing our birds with mains water instead of tank water, as roof run-off may be contaminated by infected bird droppings.

• Adding layers of shade cloth over open-air sections of the aviary to further reduce contact with wild birds.

• Relocating our small flock of chickens offsite

• Displaying information in classrooms to help students recognise and report possible signs of avian influenza.

To read more about the Departments’ advice regarding Avian Influenza, please see our Compass post.

🍕 Permaculture Promo Month 🌱
This week’s Thursday lunchtime Permaculture workshop was a tasty one — students whipped up cheesy bites using just three ingredients, including fresh herbs straight from the TC Garden!
A big group came along to cook, laugh, and eat together.

We also had a spoon-making masterclass from Lee, turning prunings from our fruit trees into beautiful, useful objects.

More Permaculture goodness coming all month — and don’t forget to sign up for the Permaculture elective for next year and the onsite Cert II in Permaculture!

Hi there Parents/Carers,

Unleash is happening again this year on Friday Sept 11! Unleash is a youth focussed U18 gig hosted by TC Records and the many bands involved with TC's music program. We invite all TC students to attend to enjoy a night filled with bands, friends, fun, food and soft drinks. This is a supervised, alcohol, vape, smoke, and drug free event held onsite at TC. 

Please see the details in the event and reach out if you have any questions. 

We are hoping to get confirmation of numbers as soon as we can so please accept the opt-in event, or decline if your young person is unable to attend. 

Thanks,

Ryan Griffith

RGR@tc.vic.edu.au 

Templestowe College’s Animals program is one of the most popular student-led subjects. Separated into three different areas, Feathers & Fur, Reptiles and Fish, each class focuses on education and care of these uniquely wonderful animals.

This week I met up with Charlotte and Alex (leaders within the Animals program) and they took me on a tour around each class. While I was there, I was able to take pictures of some very cute animals and interview both Charlotte and Alex about the Animals program and ways students can get involved. Let’s take a look: 

Q1: What’s new? 

A: The program recently ran Trivia Night; funds raised during the event were allocated by the student body towards improving the reptile room.

In terms of the current panzootic of bird flu everyone is on top of it, agistments to bird enclosures have been made to keep TC birds safe from outside bird interactions.  

Q2: What should students know about the Animals meeting? 

A: It takes place Monday lunchtime in the reptiles room, everyone is welcome regardless of whether you are participating in an Animals class. During the meeting concerns can be raised, topics discussed and leadership opportunities are presented.   

Q3: What is your biggest hope for the program? 

A: Keeping the program student-led and maintaining leadership roles including Animal Attendant (TC employability), Head Keepers, student learning area leader and class leaders.  

Q4: Why should students join the program? 

A: Students can build relationships such as friendships and even industry related relationships which can lead to work experience. Build teamwork, collaboration and responsibility skills and learn hands-on practices based on animal care. If you’re an animal enthusiast this is the class for you!  

This program teaches students lifelong skills and creates long-lasting friendships. If you love animals or are unsure but want to give it a go, the Animals program is an excellent opportunity for different levels of students to learn and hang out with awesome animals.   

Hope you all have a great weekend.

See you later 

Dara
TC Journalist