Next Week @TC

31/03/2023

• July Dance Concert

• Carenet

• End of Term 1 / Beginning of Term 2 Arrangements

• Key Dates for Term 2

• Laughs with Staff Episode 4

• TCNEWS - Addams Family Musical Pt. 2

TC Dance presents Night at the Museum - Friday 16 June 6pm

Come along as the TC dancers take you for a night at the museum. You will see history and art come alive from all around the globe. Be prepared for a night of jam-packed entertainment. 
When: Friday 16 June - doors open at 5.30pm
Where: TC's PAC
Tickets need to be pre-purchased on Trybooking https://www.trybooking.com/CHHPO

Carenet

Templestowe College have been working with Carenet’s food relief program and we are slowly strengthening the ties. Carenet’s main aim is to increase food accessibility, they runs a food relief and food rescue program.

The TC Specialist Wellbeing Services have been working with Carenet in the past sharing supplies and building connections. Carenet have recently been building links with the TC Animals and Backyard/ Permaculture teams to make sure no food goes to waste.  Food not suitable for the community is being dropped off to TC to either be given to the TC Animals Program or to be composted and used in the Backyard/ Permaculture program. And we have signed up to partake in Carenet’s 12 months of food drives initiative.

This means we will be organising a food drive collection.  In October 2023 will ask the TC community to donate in demand items which we will take to Carenet. More info to follow on this closer to the time.

Carenet do such wonderful work in the community and they currently have a Go Fund me as they are asking for Community help. “We currently have a big problem that we need your help with. The cost-of-living crisis has seen so many more people accessing our service, that we are now facing the grim reality of having to limit how many people can access our service. At the same time, we have an overwhelming amount of food rescue that we have to say NO to – JUST BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH COLD STORAGE!”

How can you help? This is where you, our wonderful community, can help us to achieve our goals. Through this Go Fund Me Fundraiser, we are hoping, through the generosity of our community, to raise the funds we need to overcome our logistical barriers, so we can say YES! to food rescue, and YES! to people who need food relief.”

If you are interested and able to please check out the link below for the Gofund Me.
www.gofundme.com/f/save-food-feed-families

For more info abut Carenet have a look at their website and social media
https://www.carenet.org.au/
https://www.instagram.com/mcc_carenet/
https://www.facebook.com/MCCCareNet

End of Term 1 / Beginning of Term 2 Arrangements

Last day of term 1 - Thursday 6th April. Classes finish at normal time.

• Monday 24th April - Student Free Staff Professional Development Day

• Tuesday 25th April - Public Holiday

Wednesday 26thApril - Term 2 First Day for Students - Classes run as normal on this day.

Key Dates for Term 2

• Weds 26th April – Students First Day for the term

• Thurs 4th May – Star Wars Day

• Mon 22nd – Fri 26th May – Community Integrated Learning Week – Living Culture

• Tues 23rd May – TC Community Athletics

• Thurs 8th June – Community Soccer @ lunchtime

• Thurs 15th June – GAT Exam for all students studying a VCE/VM unit 3 /4 subject

• Thurs 15th June – Staff Professional Practice Day – no onsite classes running

• Mon 19th June – Careers Expo

• Thurs 22nd June – Community Music @ lunchtime

• Friday 23rd June – Last Day of Term

Laughs With Staff

Our school captains are working on a new project aimed to build connections and challenge the status quo! Laughs will Staff has a new episode every week released on our socials asking staff a quick question so you can get to know them a bit better.

Here is a transcript of our latest episode:

Laughs with Staff
Partly during a thunderstorm edition
Episode 4.

Facebook, instagram or tiktok and why?

Jack: Instagram because I like to look at photos.

Sally: Facebook! Why?… Probably, maybe because of my age? [laughs]
Captains: [laughter]

Nikki: I like TikTok more so, I don’t know, it’s just easy to keep scrolling, it’s more fun!
Hayden: I’ll go Instagram, I like to see what other people are getting up to.

Kat: Instagram! I like following certain activists and influencers, at the moment I follow a lot of ‘Survivor’ past contestants. 

Darren: Tik what?
Finn: TikTok
Darren: TikTok? I don’t know what that one is. So probably Facebook, cause I’m a little bit old school!

You can watch them on our instagram: Templestowe College Official (@official_templestowe_college) • Instagram photos and videos or Facebook Templestowe College | Templestowe Lower VIC | Facebook

The Addams Family Musical Pt. 2

Whether you're a fan of the older Addams Family films and tv shows or loved the new Wednesday series on Netflix, you're going to be entertained by TC's production of 'The Addams Family'. In the previous article, we met some of the cast to discuss their auditioning process and experiences so far (Read here). This week, we're going to catch up with the cast and crew and take more of a look behind the curtain! 

As Creative Director, Julian describes 'The Addams Family' as a show about "well... family, the show continues the tradition of the original cartoon and later tv and film. It is full of dark, witty and full of attacks on the heteronormative family. It's an ensemble show with standout moments for the whole cast. The show follows Wednesday as she attempts to puppeteer a normal family dinner, introducing her boyfriend (who she intends to marry) and his family who are dreadfully normal, to the wonderfully woeful Addams." Make sure to mark your calendars for TC's production of 'The Addams Family' which will premier on Wednesday the 30th of August and close on Friday the 1st of September, with a show each evening at 7 pm, and a sensory-friendly show on Wednesday at 2 pm. Thursday 31st will be the alternate night, where students in the understudy roles will have a chance to step into the spotlight!

Currently, the production is two weeks into the rehearsals and the lengthy audition process began about six weeks ago. Rehearsals for the show take place on a Friday afternoon for the whole cast, on Thursday at lunchtime for the dance ensemble and soon for the design team too. At the moment a typical rehearsal is split between rehearsing scenes with major characters, whole cast songs and choreographing the show. To better understand their characters, the cast has been focusing on the script annotations, learning the songs with different harmonies and developing their characters. They have also done various warmups, vocal and physical which not only help them get in the right mindset but help to get to know each other more. 

Also, the production is currently looking for anyone interested in being part of the backstage crew or the design team. For students who have a passion for designing, and creating or would love to experience being a backstage hand. As a part of the backstage team, you will be helping with set changes, and organising props on the night as well as assisting the tech crew when needed. For the design team, it will be your job to help design set pieces, oversee some ensemble costumes, paint props and sets, and help with costume fittings. (These are not fixed jobs/roles). If this is something you’d be interested in, please fill out the form at the end of this article. Keep an eye out on teams for a meeting either before the end of term or early next term to organise specifics!

Here, I caught up with some of the cast and brilliant minds behind the production. Read on. 

Can you tell me a bit about your character in the production?
Kara T: Granny Adams has bits and pieces of her own time in the spotlight. She appears when she pleases and unintentionally will say things that are quite humorous to audience members and the cast!
Alexei: Pugsley is very much the 'doting little brother' character. He is also a sneaky schemer. 
Olivia: Lurch is the butler of the Addams family and on the outside, he looks like a scary monster but on the inside, he is just a big softie
Arman: My character is Gomez, the father of the family. He is hilarious and so animated. He significantly affects his wife and his kids. He never misses an opportunity to show his affection for his family and is extremely proud of being an Addams.
Nikita: My character [Wednesday] is quite an independent girl but has a disturbed mind who hunts for pleasure and thrill. She's very sarcastic, witty and mysterious and is afraid to let people in, like her soon-to-be husband Lucas. 

What is your role and how do you support the production and the performers?
Julian: I am the creative director, and as such, it is my job to make sure that the performers are bringing their best to the stage, I work early on with the actors to help them develop characters through exercises and close readings of their scripts. I collaborate with the musical director (Madi Weybury) and the technical director (Hayden Smith) and the assistant creative director (Will Genat: FLE3) to coordinate rehearsals and to work toward our overall creative vision, which for this show, is to focus on giving all of the wonderful talents at TC a chance to perform after all these years of lockdown and changing drama staff! I also work with the show's producer (Adam Cribbes) and the curator of performing arts (Ryan Griffith) to keep the lights on and pay the bills on time. As always Kyle Claringbold is the real MVP and does all the work behind the scenes to ensure that everything we teachers talk about actually gets done.
Kyle: I do a lot of the administration and supporting the director; Setting up Trybooking for ticket sales, creating the programmes, arranging for real estate boards to promote the event, booking a Technical Supervisor, decorating the foyer and coordinating the front of house crew for performances and then dealing with the license holder after the event to ensure all printed production materials were returned and fee payments made. It's an honour to be part of a production, the time, energy and effort that goes into putting on a production is enormous so I love offering some support to the cast and crew.
Adam: I am the ‘producer’ so just trying to help out where I can and make sure that we have all the resources and support everyone needs to make the show great.
Hayden: I am one of three directors (along with Madi - the Musical Director, and Julian - the Production Director). My title is Technical Director, so I will be helping sort the technical side of things (sound, lighting, set, props), but for now, my focus has been on the cast - first through the casting process, and now in our initial rehearsals, generating enthusiasm around the show and all of our roles in it!

What’s going to surprise people about this show?
Julian: The big surprise I think will be for audiences to see how much talent students at TC have, we have deliberately searched high and low for the best talent that TC has to offer in the performing arts, our very best singers, dancers and actors are in this show. Oh and the puppets of course!
Hayden: People will be surprised by how fun the show is! There are plenty of sharp jokes along the way, yet there’s also room for deep emotional moments and powerful vocals!
Arman: Our group songs with the ancestors will astound them, but what will really impress them is how well a team can function and how their cooperation makes everything come together. 
Nikita: How we change up the musical! I remember when we did 'Into the Woods' in 2019, we changed so much of the original musical to showcase the ensemble more and have more exciting props on stage!

How is this production bringing something new to this story?
Julian: Our production has puppets, handmade by one of our wonderful new entry students Sophie Spencer who has been making puppets for years already, I reckon we might have the next Jim Henson on campus honestly and they'll help bring Thing and Cousin It to life. Other than that it has been challenging to find other new angles as there have already been so many great local productions of this show, it's a high school favourite and we will be borrowing sets, props and costumes from a number of these different shows to bring our show to life, so a big shout out to those schools willing to lend a hand to support secondary school theatre!

Do you have any funny anecdotes from the production so far?
Arman: Hayden and Julian's warm-up games are hilarious and have created so many wonderful memories for all of us so far.
Nikita: Something funny that has happened so far is Arman racing through lines in the opening song (as we're still learning the timing of it) and then everyone just bursts into song a second later. It sounds a bit unhinged but he does have the hardest job in that song!

Without giving anything away, what’s your favourite line of dialogue?
Alexei: My favourite line of dialogue is "Go back to bed or the monster won't come and eat you up".
Isabella: I think my favourite line of dialogue for Alice is 'What's wrong with crazy? Crazy is underrated. You used to be crazy about me.' 
Arman: "Who cares about the world outside, And what it wants from you, When you're an Addams, You do what always Addams do"
Kat: “So you're still going to torture me?” “Of course. Until you get a girl of your own.”
Poppy: When I say “No secrets, huh? HA HA HA.” To Morticia. It probably sounds random without context, but when you hear it during the show it’ll be so funny. 
Kara L: When Morticia is comforting Wednesday with a poem about death. "Life is like a tightrope, my child, and at the other end is your coffin." I think it really reflects on their family morals and the scary things they find happiness in.

Besides yourself, which actor in this production is going to blow people away?
Alexei: An actor I am really excited to see is Daniel Westein. I have seen his performances before and they are always really entertaining.
Isabella: Everyone in this production, onstage and behind the scenes, is already working hard to produce an awesome piece of theatre, and I can't wait for the audience to see the final work led by Nikita! I reckon she will blow the audience away with her epic talent and hard work.
Poppy: Definitely Skylar as Pugsley. Trust me, you are going to laugh so much, and their musical skills in terms of acting and singing are unbelievable.
Daniel: NIKITA KRANZ IS GOING TO MAKE PEOPLES BRAINS EXPLODE!

Good Luck or 'Toi, Toi, Toi' to all involved in TC's production of 'The Addams Family'. 

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist
Interested in backstage crew or the design team? Complete this form.

Last Weeks Announcements

• Parents/Carers Facebook Group

• Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Opt Out Reminder

• Water Flooding on Thursday

Parents/carers facebook group

TC has an active parents/carers facebook page, run by parents for parents. Promoting a safe space for parents and carers of students at Templestowe College to share information online, the group celebrates school achievements, keeps up to date with school events, and more.

To join please follow this link https://www.facebook.com/groups/templestowecollegeparentcarersgroup/ all members will be confirmed by a school staff member, please ensure you answer the requested questions to join.

PHOTOGRAPHING, FILMING AND RECORDING STUDENTS OPT OUT reminder

Please see message from week 1 of next week@tc

During the school year there are many occasions and events where staff may photograph, film or record students participating in school activities and events. We do this for many reasons including to celebrate student participation and achievement, showcase particular learning programs, document a student’s learning journey/camps/excursions/sports events etc, communicate with our parents and school community in newsletters and on classroom blogs/apps etc.

If you would like to Opt OUT of having your child used in media within the school community or in publications/locations that are publicly accessibly please read our Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Policy and complete the Annual Consent Form and return to the general office.

Water Flooding on Thursday

You may have heard that we had some water flooding occurring on Thursday during the extreme weather event. This occurs as a result of the design of the roofs (from when the buildings were built many years ago). We would like to thank our students for being sensible (and offering to help) as we were able to clear up the water by the end of period 1. Whilst there is a small amount of carpet to be dried, we are pleased to report that we have not sustained any permanent damage.

Previous Weeks Announcements

• Library Donations

• State Schools’ Relief

• STOPIT Service

• Pet of the Day Policy - Slight Update

• Parents on Site

Library Donations

Thank you to all families who donated to the library drive this week, the space is starting to come together. We are still hoping for more rugs and plants so please reach out if you can help to Michelle, MPAR@tc.vic.edu.au and follow our journey on Instagram Templestowe College Library Project (@tc_libraryproject) • Instagram photos and videos

State Schools’ Relief

If you are a parent or carer and need financial assistance with your child’s education please contact Amy Jess AJES@tc.vic.edu.au or Kat Hendry KHE@tc.vic.edu.au

STOPIT service

The following is a Victoria Police initiative:
STOPIT is a new Victoria Police text notification service enabling commuters, including school students, to report any form of inappropriate behaviour that makes them feel uncomfortable, frightened or threatened on the public transport network.

The STOPIT service enables commuters to use their mobile phone to promptly, easily and discreetly report inappropriate behaviours.

To use the service, commuters simply text ‘STOPIT’ to 0499 455 455. This triggers an automated response that includes a link to where the commuter can provide more details about what’s just happened.

When people report these types of inappropriate behaviours, police can investigate and identify offenders to improve safety on public transport for everyone.

Parents and carers are encouraged to consider discussing the new service with students who travel on public transport. Students who use mobile phones outside of school hours are encouraged to save the STOPIT number in their mobile phone.

Please note, STOPIT is for reporting non-urgent incidents on public transport. Always phone 000 in an emergency.

For more information, refer to sexual and anti-social behaviour on public transport on the Victoria Police website.

Pet of the Day Policy - Slight Update

We have made a slight update to our pet of the day policy. Changes include who pet of the day is booked in with, as well as that dogs must be kept on lead whilst at school. The policy can be found here.

Parents on Site

Please note that in line with ChildSafe policies, parents cannot enter school grounds without first signing in at the front office. This includes entering S Wing. It is imperative that we keep our students safe by knowing exactly who is on site at any time. You will then need to wear the badge provided by the front office when you have signed in.

Previous TC NEWS Articles

The Addams Family Musical

After five years, TC productions are back! TC will be taking on our own version of the beloved spooky Addams Family Musical. The story follows the daughter, Wednesday who wants to get married to someone from a ‘normal’ family, which causes everyone a lot of trouble. Technical Director, Hayden, describes the story as a "classic Addams Family narrative, built around the family that you know and love! There’s adventure, secrets, and romance ... with plenty of the usual Templestowe flair - big character, plenty of laughs and a few surprises along the way!"

Planning for the show started last year when students wanted a school production to happen this year. There was a period of investigation into what shows were available and what shows students wanted to do, with the majority suggesting the Addams Family. Auditions were originally set for just week three, but with so many people signing up, there ended up being two more weeks of auditions. The team are just two rehearsals in but there has already been so much work put into the August production!

In the past, TC has put on some amazing productions. Bring it on in 2016, High School Musical in 2017 and the last production, Into the Woods in 2018. Kyle, who helps with administration and supporting the directors, has worked on all of them and believes it's an "honour to be part of a production. The time, energy and effort that goes into putting [them on] are enormous so, [she loves] offering some support to cast and crew." Evening performances will be on Aug 30th, 31st, and Sep 1st. Keep your eyes peeled for ticket details! 

Here, I asked some of the talented cast a few questions about the production. Read on. 

Why did you want to be involved in this production?
Isabella (Alice Beineke): I've always loved involving myself in theatre, but I have never been a part of a wider school production before, though it has always been something I wanted to do, especially before I graduate! My grandpa introduced me to the Addams family when I was a kid (which of course I loved) so the Addams family musical looked like so much fun!
Poppy (Alice Beineke): I saw this musical as a fantastic opportunity to create memories for my last year of school. Being in musicals before, I made so many new friends and I think doing a musical in Year 12 is another one of those many things you remember in your last year of school.
Daniel (Lucas Beineke): I’ve always adored musicals since I was a child in primary school and dreamed of getting a lead role in a musical. That day has finally come!

What sort of person is going to love this character?
Alexei (Pugsley): Anyone who enjoys a doting brother whose only source of misery in his life, is his sister. 
Isabella (Alice Beineke): I think my character Alice will appeal to a family audience as she has the manner of a Disney princess character or a person in playschool, which I think kids will connect with and find quite amusing. On the other hand, she is also a woman struggling with her 'place' in her family, which parents may understand or relate to. Overall she is a totally comedic character, so anyone who enjoys a bit of friendly humour will love her.
Kat (Wednesday): As Wednesday's understudy, I think people who enjoy darker humour and sarcastic jokes would enjoy this character.

What’s the biggest challenge about taking on this role?
Alexei (Pugsley): The hardest part about being Pugsley is the screaming!
Arman (Gomez):  Definitely the accent. He has Spanish ancestry, thus it would be difficult for me to replicate that accent flawlessly. Nonetheless, I'll try my best!
Poppy (Alice Beineke): Nailing and keeping up her mannerisms and personality. Alice doesn’t have a single part in this musical where she has a plain personality with no flavour or bad posture. You’ll see her always standing up completely straight, prim and proper. She’s known for appearing to keep everything under control but really, her way of coping is to rhyme!
Nikita (Wednesday): The biggest challenge for the role is not smiling! I'm a really smiley person, so it's tricky keeping a straight face the whole time. 
Daniel (Lucas Beineke): My biggest challenge about taking on this role is having to act straight as my character is in love with Wednesday, haha.

How is this character like you and how are they different?
Isabella (Alice Beineke): It sounds a bit corny but I think I can say I relate to Alice's kind heart - even if what she says comes out a bit unexpectedly, she has good intentions! Alice always tries to see the best in people which I admire. A significant difference between Alice and me is that her favourite colour is yellow, and mine is purple!
Arman (Gomez): We share a lot of similarities. I admire how he cares for his wife and makes an effort to express it, yet occasionally he falls short of his goals. It somewhat makes me think about my own personal life. The two things that separate us the most may be the fact that I don't sing as well as he does and that, in rare instances, I feel him to be funnier than I am.
Poppy (Alice Beineke): One of the reasons I auditioned specifically for the role of Alice is because I think she’s just like me personality-wise. I love wearing bright clothes, I’m known for being very ‘bubbly’ and positive, and I love anything sunshine and rainbows – this is Alice in a nutshell. We’re different in the sense that I currently don’t struggle with my marriage, haha!
Nikita (Wednesday): Something that's similar between Wednesday and I is that we're both outspoken people; she'll say it how it is and I'm very much like that. However, I'm not an emo who hunts for animals so we're very different there!
Daniel (Lucas Beineke): Lucas and I are similar as we are both hopeless romantics. The difference is that he would die for love, whereas I probably wouldn’t. 

I can not wait to see how the talented theatre crew will bring this show to life! Stay tuned for part two of this article, where I'll be taking you backstage to find out the story so far with rehearsals and everything else going on behind the scenes.  

By Bonnie-Mai Smith 
TC Journalist

Robotics

Grab some friends and put your thinking caps on. It's time to support our TC robotics teams! On Thursday next week, TC will be hosting a Trivia Night. Held in S-Wing, the event will kick off at 6:30 and finish at 10:30. Entry is $15 per person. There will be action-packed rounds, with a variety of questions. There are also sweet prizes, gold coin games, a silent auction and a raffle. And most importantly, you'll be supporting two of TC's champion robotics teams, 1002T and 1002X, who have qualified for the VEX World Championships held in Texas, USA. 

Before heading down to S-Wing, from 4 pm until 5 pm, you can enjoy the Technologies Expo and find out all of the cool things students are getting up to in Robotics, Design & Technology and Permaculture! 

 So how do these competitions work? Student, William describes his division (VRC) as essentially a "2v2 game that revolves around multiple scoring elements. Firstly, there are two low goals and two high goals. Discs scored in the low goal are worth one point and ones scored in the higher goal are worth five points (Note: the opposing low goal is below your high goal, meaning if you're inaccurate and a disc falls out, the opposition gains a point). Secondly, there are four Colour Rollers on the field, worth ten points to whichever teams colour they are flipped to after the game ends. Thirdly, Expansion Points' are scored after the game ends. In the last ten seconds, there is no expansion limit and each tile your robot is touching is worth an extra 3 points to your alliance".

This isn't the first time some of our students have competed overseas. Despite originally having no background in robotics, Ruby's team qualified to compete in Louisville, Kentucky. As soon as they found out the exciting news, the team planned ways to fundraise. Ruby, Grace and Estelle did everything, from having stalls at our old TC Markets to acquiring sponsors. The team ended up raising $8,000! A few months later, they woke up bright and early to board the plane. Ruby says the trip was an "amazing opportunity and that [she's] so glad [she] went and felt like [she] made a difference by actively advocating and supporting girls in STEM!"

Our two robotics teams will be flying out soon. From what I've been told the students have already picked a suitable itinerary for their trip to Texas! Their teacher, James, says this will include "taking in a bit of culture and visiting the NASA headquarters, engaging in some friendly scrimmages with some high schools in Texas before heading to the big dance in Dallas aka the World Robotics Competition". The comp will run over a few days. Before it begins, judges will check and re-check the robot to verify its compliance with the rules and engage in interviews to test their knowledge, assess their teamwork and for qualitative judgement of their design processes. Our TC teams will then compete through qualification rounds and eventually compete in the finals. After winning (fingers-crossed), the teams will be watching a university-level competition, "with some of our past students and mentors still carrying the TC flame at the older-age competitions!"

As a coach, James makes sure his students have a voice. That they are "contributing, reminding them of deadlines and making sure they can cooperate between teams and within." His message for the TC Community is to "get around our TC teams, help them feel supported ... [and] come out and support the student's journey to robotics gold!"

Thanks to David, robotics teachers James and Travis and their students for inviting me to their class to interview them and drive a robot!

For more info and to register your trivia team: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing?eid=1021785&amp

Want to know more about the competitions? Check this video out: https://youtu.be/wIZgvVDZc2Y

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

Peer Support Program

At TC, the Peer Support Program is when students who have been at TC for a year or more help our new Entry students succeed in their transition to high school. In small groups, Peer Support Leaders act as a mentor and work with an Entry connect class, running sessions that focus on how to build positive relationships with others. Part of their role also includes attending Entry Camp for a day, encouraging participation at Community events, and generally being a friendly face! It’s a fantastic leadership opportunity for students who become peer support leaders. 

The Peer Support leaders are all student volunteers wanting to make a positive impact on their TC community. To become a leader, all they needed to do was put their name down, and then attend two training sessions. The first training session focused on building communication, organisation, and interpersonal skills, and the other looked more at the practicalities of what the actual support sessions are and how to run them with the Entry groups. These sessions ensure of leaders are well prepared to take on this responsibility and confident in their abilities to be great mentors.

The leaders are also supported by Leija Harman. As a Peer Support Program Coordinator she "ran both training sessions with the peer support leaders as well as offers ongoing support as they implement the program". This means staying in regular contact with the peer support leaders, checking in with them, and offering a recess time where peer support leaders can come and discuss the upcoming peer support lesson.

Here, I asked some of our Peer Support Leaders about the upcoming sessions. Read on.

Why did you apply for the role?

Kate: I applied for The Peer Support role as I found, when I started as an Entry, it was really stressful and intimidating. I want help Entries settle in and feel welcome and comfortable with our school!

Samara: When I was in entry, the peer support leaders then really helped me find friends, so I want to help the entries do the same thing. 

Imogen: I continued my involvement with the program for the second year because I love being able to help the entries adjust to TC and I'm able to relate to how they are feeling as entries as I was an entry once too and I can understand the changes with transitioning! I love being able to work with new people, expand my leadership skills and to challenge myself with a rewarding outcome.

Jessica: TC is a great place to be part of long-lasting and unique change, and students are always encouraged to speak up, voice their opinions, and be part of ideas. I believe that being a part of the leadership team is one of the great ways in which individuals can initiate projects and connect with others who share similar interests and goals.

So far, what is your favourite part of the program?

Samara: All the training sessions because I have gotten to meet new people and learn so much! 

Jessica: I love that the main idea of peer support is about being kind: developing ourselves and others as kind and empathetic people, using every chance to brighten someone's day and just simply being there for them. Peer support is awesome as it encourages everyone to look out for each other, helps everyone feel welcomed and builds a close-knit community network.

Odin:  Definitely the students. Spending time with our Entry students has always been of value to me as I wish I had a bit more support when I was an Entry myself. Talking to these bright young minds and hearing [about] their interests and aspirations is the reason why I love this program. 

What are you hoping to gain from the program?

Jessica: I am hoping that being part of the peer support program will help me become more confident and proactive, enabling me to have a greater ability to be a caring leader for my fellow peers. For example, when we see someone hurt or upset, we always feel good when we go over and help them rather than ignoring their situation out of fear or so-called 'normal' behaviour. It is always best to have an open, growth mindset, ready and willing to develop ourselves to reach our potential and use our skills and our abilities to make our community a better place.

Odin:  I’d like it to hone my leadership skills as well as increase my range of social ability, being able to speak and relate to any age is something I pride myself on, and I only plan to improve. 

Can you give me an example of a hypothetical situation that you could resolve with the knowledge you have gained from peer support training? 

Imogen: Through our practice scenarios we have learnt how we can approach difficult situations for example if students begin to have heated disagreements it's about how we can diffuse the situation if need be. To acknowledge that people will have different beliefs/opinions. Overall I can't wait for Peer Support to commence in Term 2!   

Jessica: In Peer Support, we have learned that there are many different leadership types and none is better than the other. When running an event (e.g. a community event or a connect-based activity) or upon encountering a problem (a friend is struggling from nasty comments being posted online) there are various ways in which we can approach problems. Many things never go to plan, so it is always good to be flexible, act accordingly on the spot and under pressure, and not be too stuck with a certain way of doing things, and if things don't go the way we wanted them - it is totally fine to adjust.

What is a piece of advice you would give to students who are interested in becoming a Peer Support leader, next year?

Millyca: Do it, sign up! You don't need any experience to become a leader the only thing you need is to sign up and go to the training, be positive and enthusiastic and it is easily possible. You will be supported from the start to the end of your journey as a peer support leader by very friendly and kind people.

This program is such a great opportunity for anyone interested in leadership. Good luck to all Peer Support Leaders who will be starting their sessions next term!

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

Hedwig the Chicken

Last Friday, some of our Animals' students collaborated with environmental leaders Andy, Eloise and Abram at our neighbouring primary school, Templestowe Heights! It started last week when the observant Abram noticed Hedwig, their silky, five-month-old, white chicken shivering and recalled the same thing had happened to one of his chickens shortly before it passed away. Together, the Environmental Leaders further investigated and found that Hedwig was not eating or drinking any of her food or water and wouldn't move.

Hedwig's home was started six years ago and made with the help of TC students. The primary school designed the pen and paid TC students $1000 to build the coop. It has housed Templestowe Height's resident chickens ever since. While assembling the pen, TC also donated six chickens and now Shadow is the only remaining of the original six.

At first, Eloise and the team thought Hedwig may not be eating because she didn't want to eat in front of the other chickens, in case they took her food. So they moved the other chickens from her, but still, she didn't eat.

Elected by their student body, the Environmental Leaders then sprung into action and called for help from their Principal, Mr Coulson. On Friday morning, Mr Coulson called our Principal Peter Ellis and asked for support for the unwell chicken and to have the chicken checked out. At TC, we have experienced students in the Animals program who are taught to lead and teach fellow students. Peter then got into contact with Kate Meehan, one of our Animals leaders, who arranged for three of our students, Violet, Ye Ling and Imogen, to head over to the school during their lunchtime along with one of our Assistant Principals, Darren.  

The group made their way to the primary school to perform a health check and assessment on the chicken. Our leaders showed Andy, Eloise and Abram what to look for when we do a health check, and some of the signs they need to look out for by asking questions such as "how long has the chicken appeared unwell for" and "the behaviour of the chicken since she first appeared unwell ". TC leaders assessed the area where the chickens were kept and made some observations, about her behaviour.

After much time spent observing Hedwig's behaviour, the students concluded that she was dehydrated and her broodiness may just be a personality trait. Imogen recalls that the younger leaders explained: "how the chicken didn't go to her water bowls very often [and that] the younger leaders were extremely helpful in making our knowledge of the chicken very informative, making our job a lot easier!" Ye Ling's favourite part of this experience would be seeing how "passionate the students were, how well respected our Animals' Program is and [seeing] a new generation of great kids to continue providing animals with the best care we can give."

From the TC leaders, Andy learnt that it is best to put a bit of water with Hedwig's food to help hydrate her, soften her food and grow her appetite. Eloise's favourite part was learning from our students how to help Hedwig and other animals. This includes isolating the animals and bringing them indoors in their own pen or enclosure to monitor them more closely, check their faeces, and ensure they do not have any problems with accessing food and water. This ensures that they can receive timely veterinary attention as needed. 

This was such a heart warming story and a great example of the strong relationship between Templestowe College and Templestowe Heights Primary School.

Special Thanks to Mr Coulson and environmental leaders Abram, Andy and Eloise.

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

The Week That Was

This week marks 'A BREATH OF FRESH AIR', Term 1's community-integrated learning (CIL) theme (you can read more in last week's article here). We had some amazing weather for the week’s activities, here are just a few I discovered.

Tuesday lunchtime our inner tree huggers were unleashed during History Club when we discovered more about the environment and the positive changes that people have made in the name of creating a safer, healthier planet. We learned about indigenous environmentalism, that knowledge of global warming began 200 years ago when Jean Baptiste Fourier calculated that the Earth’s atmosphere trapped heat like a greenhouse and more.

Thursday lunchtime was the main event this week! The Breath of Fresh Air community festival perfectly encapsulates what this CIL theme is all about by exploring the outdoors, being in nature, play, and exploring mental health. For Ryan, "it was a glorious sunny day and the central area around the canteen was buzzing with students and staff alike enjoying the activities! On the astroturf, there was a 3x3 community basketball competition run by our amazing student leaders. Duncan Sadler explains that "this year's Community Basketball was the biggest yet! We had 8 Community-based teams playing on four courts over three heats! Once this was completed we had a very intense "Shoot-out" where Communities were allowed five minutes to get as many shots in as possible, this was Fast and Furious. Special thanks to the students and staff who turned up and participated on behalf of their communities. This event was run by the Student Leadership team, led by Kate Dickenson and Chloe Mayson." Congrats to Green community for coming out on top!

There was a silent disco featuring our own DJ Rainsey. Students could tune into a disco set list from Rainsey or select a collaborative playlist that students had added to during the week to dance to!

Bike 'n blend smoothie bikes are a fan favourite at TC events and are hosted by the awesome Science team. The community made about 100 smoothie cups and students were peddling nonstop all of lunch. While students ride the gears rotate the blender! The VM students helped set up and taste the recipes and the Science staff ran the show throughout lunch.

Our Grads channelled 'A Breath of Fresh Air' with their Thursday Fun Theme days, dazzling in their 70s hippy costumes fit with flared pants and flower prints!

There were also multiple busking stations around the canteen featuring some of our awesome TC musos, Allara, Charlotte and Sky. Sky had a delightful experience busking outside the canteen, they performed lots of covers such as "Kiss" by Prince and "All Too Well" by Taylor Swift and a couple of their original songs such as "the loudest souls" which was recently released on streaming services. "Thank you so much to Ryan and everybody involved for giving me the opportunity it was really fun."

Roving performers were moving around and setting the atmosphere for the festival. Award-winning Aussie author Ailsa Wild, the creator of The Naughtiest Pixie and the hilarious Squishy Taylor series was also in costume as a roving ye olde poet!

For Ryan, it was "so special to see everyone come together to enjoy the festival. Thank you to everyone involved in the set-up, activities, participation, and pack-up. Events like this remind us that we are TC (Total Community)!"

It's been great to see the TC community take 'A Breath of Fresh Air' this week and I'm excited to see us all get involved in all the exciting activities, like the Pool Party and Animals Expo next week!

If you missed out on Connect TV's 'A Breath of Fresh Air' and 1st episode for 2023 featuring Clubs, The Buzz, and Culture Critics. You can watch it here with a TC stream login: https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/9e9a9900-d0c4-4fa9-96bb-843f31125ee6?referrer=https:%2F%2Fstatics.teams.cdn.office.net%2F

Check out Sky's single “the loudest souls” here: https://linktr.ee/skylaratlas

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

A Breath of Fresh Air 🌬🌳

Welcome back to another jam-packed and thrilling year of creativity, connection, and Community! 'A BREATH OF FRESH AIR' is Term 1's community-integrated learning theme. As explained by Ryan Griffiths, 'A BREATH OF FRESH AIR' is all about "exploring the outdoors, being in nature, play, and exploring mental health. This theme brings together a range of topics that the TC Community of students, families, and staff felt were important." 

The coming weeks are stacked, with activities in all our subjects, as well as Community-based extravaganzas, like the Breath of Fresh Air festival at lunchtime on Thursday, the 23rd of February and whole school events like the annual Pool Party on Tuesday, the 28th of February. 

What to know more? Here are some of the awesome subject and community-based experiences happening this term:

THURS FEB 23 LUNCHTIME FESTIVAL - ALL WELCOME! 
CANTEEN & ASTROTURF AREA
Community Basketball
Silent disco
Bike n Blend smoothies
Costume parade
Live music

POOL PARTY Week 6 Tues Feb 28 - ALL STUDENTS AND STAFF! 

Ryan: An incredible day of swimming, sliding, live music, food, art, and community connections! As part of our 'Breath of Fresh Air' theme, all students and staff will head to Aquarena Aquatic and Leisure Centre (139-153 Williamsons Rd) to join in the festival atmosphere of the day. Traditional swimming races will run alongside novelty events and Laps For Life charity swims. Face painting, water slides, photo booths, delicious street food, and bands all day long will top off a day of fun and friends. It is an unmissable day of the year and all students are encouraged to attend. 

Entry English – Short stories linked to the theme

Essential English – Outdoor poetry project

Essential English - Going outside and writing poetry in the outside world, have a grant to go further afield to do this

SYWTBAW – ‘Humanature’ poster short story project

Reading – Outdoor reading circles

Reading groups- will be doing their Reading Fluency Circles outdoors in CIL Week.

Pre-VCE English - 'Take a Breath' Mindfulness and breathing before their public speaking task. Aim to practice centring oneself and being mindful before doing big things.

Maths – Attention vs. sleep, heartbeat vs. mood ratings, air quality monitoring, measuring lung capacity

Science - Fire triangle, air purifiers, regeneration, air molecule models, Ruffy Creek cleanup,

Meg: In Entry Science and Maths, we are collecting air quality data with the CSIRO data loggers we have on loan. Students will collect the data in their Science classes and then analyse it by graphing it in Excel during their Maths classes. In Zoology and Ecology, we are heading out for a day trip to the Queenscliff Marine Sanctuary, where students can opt for snorkelling off the beach or taking a marine biology boat cruise. My Environmental Science class will be doing some nature mindfulness and thinking about the benefits of nature on health and wellbeing (these are known as ecosystem cultural services). 

Environmental Action Group – One person's trash is another person's treasure! A 'Swap, Don't Shop" event will be set up at the lunchtime festival and pool party. Bring in any clothes, shoes, or accessories that you no longer want or need and trade them for something new! They must be in clean condition (no underwear, please). Collection points will be located in the HUB and S-Wing all week. 

PE – Orienteering, meditation

DT – Magnetic fishing 

David: The activity is designed to allow students to explore the local area and salvage materials that can be recycled and reused in design projects. This activity promotes active outdoor learning and gives the students, a breath of fresh air. Students will have the opportunity to appreciate local nature and connect to caring for waterways.

Art – Positivity Community mural

Animals/Permaculture – Habitat planting

Kate: This activity will run across Reptiles, Feathers and Fur, Fish and Animal Industry Skills. Classes will be planting trees that can provide shade, food and enrichment for our animals in the animals/permaculture space. This activity will get students outdoors in the fresh air and show them how planting trees can have many benefits and that we can shape the landscape we live, work, and play on.

Music – Busking, Unleash All-Age gig (March 17)

Ryan: Unleash All, are free U18 gigs supported by Manningham Council's Community Grant fund. TC is excited to present a series of alcohol, drug, and vape-free gigs held outdoors in the Cage near the Sports Centre. The first gig will be held on Friday, March 17th. Featuring a bunch of TC bands like Controlled Chaos, Hash Browns, and Tappet alongside bands from Doncaster Secondary College and a special guest headline artist, this will be an excellent night of music, fun, and friends. Ticket links and other details will be released soon but for now, save the date!

Food & Baking – 'Farm to Fork' picnic project

Circus Club – Workshops and ‘Circus Spot’ excursion

Drama – Outdoor/Hidden theatre

Game Design – IRL game making

Sean: Our activity for CIL week is a lead-in activity to our Learning Task, which is to turn a video game into a real-world game. The main activity that will be running is a course for the students to try and play the game "Pac-man", on the Astro Turf. One student will play as Pac-man, running through a maze to collect tokens (cones), while four other players run around as ghosts trying to catch the player. One of the main takeaways from this activity will be the connection between simple real-world games, like tag and chasey, and how they can influence mechanics in video games. 

History Club – The History of Environmental Activism

Cassidy: History Club will be on Tuesday in C03 during lunchtime! Next week History Club will focus on the environment and the positive changes that people have made in the name of creating a safer, healthier planet. 

Legal Studies – Understanding Environmental Law

Humanities – Zen Garden guided meditation

Humanities classes in C-Wing will run guided mediation sessions at the start of each lesson in the Zen Garden located outside C-Wing, near C03 and C05! 

VM – Outdoor cooking project

VM ¾ - Sailing

Grad students will be on their Sailing excursion on the 23rd of Feb. 

Nikki: VM students will also be running events during the Pool Party. There will be nacho bowls for sale, novelty events running, face painting and temporary tattoos. There will also be a lap lane running all day for groups to enter a team of 8. Their teams will be tasked with swimming as many laps in their 15-minute time slot. The team with the most laps done in their time slot will win a prize. This forms part of our fundraising efforts for Laps For Life which focus on youth suicide prevention.

There will also be a Hot Cross Bun fundraiser, in conjunction with Macedon Square Bakers Delight. 

Entrepreneurship – Create a business idea focussed on mental health

James: In Entrepreneurship, students choose their own business. I would like to encourage students in CIL week to start a mental health or well-being-based business. [And getting them to think about] How could we encourage health and grow a business? How do we help our community and make a profit? 

Canteen – Brain Food Menu

On the menu are Berry bliss smoothies, Berry chia yoghurt parfaits, Hommus veg stick packs, Open lamb taco with lettuce, tomato, capsicum, tzatziki and Berry pancakes 🥞. Also, every day the canteen will have free cereal for breakfast and a special hot drink and a toasty cheese deal for $5.00!

Here is the key information you need to know about the pool party:

STUDENTS MEET AT TC AND GO TO THEIR CONNECT CLASS TO MARK THE ROLL BEFORE WALKING TO AQUARENA TOGETHER AS A GROUP. A BUS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF WITH ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS.

GET YOUR CONSENT FORMS IN VIA COMPASS NOW!

So get your costumes ready for the pool party, get involved and enjoy ‘A BREATH OF FRESH AIR’!

Any questions or suggestions for future theme-based activities, please contact Ryan Griffith on Teams or email RGR@tc.vic.edu.au

Donations to laps for life in the lead-up to the event can be made via this link: https://www.lapsforlife.com.au/fundraisers/templestowecollege

Students and staff can start getting their lap groups organised and then sign them up via the following link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1td9u31ChApPY66MeeFHAuWSNiOgeDBPQGtqoEMfcC90/edit

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

TC’s New Library 📚

If you've been to the canteen lately you may have noticed a bit of a transformation, well that huge empty space will be TC's new library! Over the coming year, the Library Working Club group will be working over Semester 1 to transform the space into a quiet, safe and welcoming area for students to use in Semester 2 and then turn it into more of a working library from 2024 onwards. Currently, the room is not operating as a library but is the home of the library committee meetings.

On Tuesday this week, I attended one of the Clubs' meetings. It was great to see staff and students collaborating on ideas about the design of the space. They discussed the idea of designated spaces like a 'switch off’ area and a ‘switch on and study’ space and the possibility of developing a borrowing system to get going in 2024. The group also considered funding for the space and individually designed how they thought the space should look and library must-haves like comfy chairs, power outlets, and of course, books!

On the importance of student voice on the project, Jed Catley believes that "a space developed by students is better personalised to the students. If individuals have a voice in how the space is created, it becomes more personalised to the students rather than the school, establishing a connection with this space and producing an environment that the majority of students will appreciate."

So how can you get involved? The Library Working Club is spending the next few weeks brainstorming ideas and is welcome to all students and staff. Keep your eyes peeled on teams for when the next meeting will occur or message Michelle Parker. The wider TC community can also get involved later in the year during the Library Drive. The club would "love to have as much community input and help as possible to get this massive project up and running" and will be asking for donations from the community for things such as furniture, pillows, plants, books, etc. More information will be available at the end of Term 1!

The library will be a great addition to TC. I can't wait to see what The Library Working Club does with the space!

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist

Get to know your 2023 school captains!

What’s the last greatest TV show or movie you watched?
Chloe: The last movie I watched was Star Wars: A New Hope which happens to be my favourite movie!
Finn: Notting Hill, I love a good romcom!
Bonnie-Mai: I'm currently on season 13 of 24 of Law & Order: SVU and I loved Megan.

If aliens landed on earth tomorrow and offered to take you home with them, would you go?
Chloe: Yes, I would pretend to forget I was ever taught about stranger danger because I really want to go to space and see another planet!
Finn: For sure, I love a good adventure.
Bonnie-Mai: Yes, but only if they were from Pandora!

If you could be great at any Olympic sport, which would it be?
Chloe: Gymnastics! It looks super fun and I want to be able to do a flip without injuring myself.
Finn: Hockey, I've played since I was 6.
Bonnie-Mai: Synchronised Swimming because I love the costumes and it seems cool!

What's the first thing you would buy if you won the lottery today?
Chloe: A house on a farm so I could adopt lots of ducks, dogs, cats & sheep, that and a real-life R2-D2.
Finn: An investment property.
Bonnie-Mai: A bubble tea to celebrate!

If you could attend a dinner with any celebrity, living or dead, who would you choose?
Chloe: Jacinda Ardern, Albert Einstein or George Lucas.
Finn: The Gallagher brothers (Oasis) because it would be fun to see them talk!
Bonnie-Mai: Marie Antonette because she knew how to have a good time or Amelia Earhart because I want to know what happened! 

What was your favourite childhood board game/sport/activity?
Chloe: When I was 9, my teacher at school had this really cool card game called 'Frog Juice' and I loved to play basketball as a kid and still quite enjoy it now. 
Finn: Trouble! The noise would drive mum crazy!
Bonnie-Mai: Any card games but specifically 'Spit'.

What is your go-to comfort meal?
Chloe: Thai food or butter chicken from the Donny food court.
Finn: I'm an avid sushi fan!
Bonnie-Mai: A Hawaiian Pizza from Dominoes at the Pines. 

Back to School Tips!

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a great summer break and got in some much-needed relaxation time. With a new school year comes new subjects, teachers and information. Although this is very exciting, it can be a lot to deal with so hopefully, these tips can alleviate some of that back-to-school anxiety and make the transition smoother. 

Stick your schedule inside your locker
This tip is great since everyone will have a brand-new schedule and we shouldn't be checking compass on our phones. 

Check compass before school 
Checking compass before school starts in case there is a room change or teacher change. Also, you can look at the TVs above A-Wing and B-Wing to see if there has been a change.

Make sure your parent or guardian can log in your absences properly. 

Check teams regularly
Most communication about community events, key dates, job opportunities and everything else happening at TC, will be posted on your community teams page. So make sure to check teams regularly to avoid missing out on anything essential!

Make sure to know who your points of contact are
This is super important because there is definitely going to be a time throughout the year when you will need to know who your points of contact are for things like IT, subject changes or any other questions. 

Keep a diary
My favourite tip is to keep a diary! It's crucial to make sure you're already on top of everything to start the school year off right. I would recommend colour coordinating as well. I use a pink pen for SACs or tests, a blue pen for community events and a purple pen for Homework. 

Stay Hydrated
This year one of my New Year's resolutions is to stay hydrated, so I decided to pick up a 2L water bottle from Kmart and carry it around with me everywhere! I have already noticed feeling more focused and aware throughout the day.  

Join a Club
There are so many great clubs to join at TC. There's a club running every day, and it's a great way to make new friends. Taylor Swift Fan Club is the best one (not biased at all) but, there is also History Club, Cheerleading Club, Chess Club and many many more. 

Wishing you all a successful year. You’ve got this!

By Bonnie-Mai Smith
TC Journalist