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Why does Santa Claus come to you? Because you’ve been good; he’s been watching you and he’s coming, provided you have been good. It’s quite possible that some people might think that about God at Christmas. We go through Advent putting ourselves in order, as we wait for His coming; God comes because we are good. This would mean that God is like some Cosmic Santa Claus who watches us all the time, who knows everything we do – this is true – but, does He tell us to be good or He won’t give us anything? We’d all be in trouble if this was true.
Because we are human and live with limitations, we have great difficulty in understanding Jesus at Christmas; God gave us Jesus even though we were not good. God does not reward us for being good, because God’s love for us is unconditional, it is unexpected love, it is the love of a true father. The gift of Jesus at Christmas is difficult to understand, because God’s love for us is beyond our expectations.
Also, difficult to understand, is the manner in which God’s gift to us arrived. Jesus was born in the humblest of circumstances, in an animal shelter and placed in the animal’s feed box. You could have imagined how shocked the Magi would have been to see where the King was born. But the real story of the first Christmas is not meant to meet our expectations or desires of what the Christmas story should be like. Jesus did not come to meet our expectations or desires; He came to meet our needs.
Jesus came as He did, to make it clear that no one and no place was beneath His dignity. The first Christmas was a strange story, a story of humility, a story without royal robes, a story without even a proper bed. John Donne, the English poet, summed it up rather well when he wrote:
“’Twas much
That we were made like God,
But that God should be made like us,
Much more.”
HAVE A HAPPY and JOYOUS CHRISTMAS!
RETURN IN 2022
I ask that all students returning to school on this day will have made sure that they have the full summer uniform and are present in accordance with the College uniform and grooming policy – with particular attention being paid to hairstyles and jewellery.
A reminder that:
- Years 7, 11 & 12 commence on Tuesday 1 February and
- All students then return on Wednesday 2 February.
Hopefully we will be able to recommence in the TSC with a face to face assembly.
ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS
Once again Academic Scholarships will be available to students in Year 8 – 12. The application form for these scholarships is now available on the College web page. Three scholarships will be available to each of Years 8 to 12 and may amount to up to 50% of their tuition fees. A student will need to have ranked in the top 10% of their Year level at the end of the 2021 academic year to be eligible for a scholarship. Students will also have to meet a number of other criteria in relation to attendance and following the College’s expectations of students. Applications have to be to the Principal by Monday 14 February 2022.
A reminder to all our parents ahead of the break at the end of Term 4 that school zones remain in place for the safety of our children and families. School zones operate on all gazetted school days. School zones operate as normal until (and include) Friday, 17 December 2021 and resume on Monday 31 January 2022, whether students are present or not.
FAREWELL AND GOOD LUCK
This year we have a number of long serving members of staff finishing their time at Trinity, both teaching and non-teaching staff.
The following staff have either left during the course of 2021 or will be leaving us at the end of this year: Mr. Jim Holmes, Mr. Rob Lynch, Mr. Tony Bindon, Mr. John Conomos, Mr. Pat Stace Mr. Wayne Maguire, Mrs. Nevin Foster, Mrs. Kate Ashdown, Mrs Julie Nash, Mr. Liam Bleakley, Mrs. Kathleen McLennan, Mrs. Susan Watson, Ms. Phoebe Seymour, Mrs. Joan Paddon, Ms. Annette Lee, Mrs. Deb Muir, Mrs. Delma O’Connor and Ms. Shirley Carter
I’d also like to take this chance to say farewell to those students who are leaving us at the end of the year. Some for work, some to go to other schools and some whose families are moving from the area. I wish them all the best.
A week in photos:
Friday December 10th: Trinity College Year 12 Graduation Dinner.
GRADUATION DINNER
Thank you to all the fantastic staff who put in countless hours to ensure the Graduation Dinner was a massive success. This was one of those occasions that you always wondered whether it was going to happen, but thanks to Brother John’s patience and some movement in public health orders we were able to have the dinner.
CHRISTMAS HUT COMPETITION
Our Year 12 did a fantastic job dressing up their huts for the Christmas Competition. They certainly spread plenty of cheer and happiness on SMS.
HANDBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
The inaugural Trinity Catholic College Handball Championships were played over the past week. 64 players took part in the knockout competition. The standard of handball was world class as was the sportspersonship shown.
On SJS the final was played between Matthew Fletcher Year 8 McColl and Joe Parsons Year 7 Cannane with Matthew prevailing in a tight struggle. On SMS Joe Bull Year 10 Carthage battled Angus Coote-Parker Year 11 Chanel in the final with Joe eventually winning.
The gladiators Matthew and Joe then played the grand final in front of a capacity crowd. The match was tight right from the start and the two champions were locked at 7 all in the middle stages. Joe’s years of experience in the pressure cooker atmosphere of handball proved to be the advantage he needed and he eventually wore down Matthew to be crowned Trinity Catholic College Handball Champion 2021. Congratulations to both Joe and Matthew.
Some exciting changes will be made to the format of the competition in 2022 as we attempt to grow the great game of handball.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. It has been an honour and a privilege to be the APS&S at Trinity in 2021 and I look forward to seeing you all and our new Year 7 students in 2022. Remember these important dates:
Friday January 28th: staff return
Monday January 31st: New students (Years 8 to 12) attend Orientation day
Tuesday February 1st: Students from years 7, 11 and 12 attend school
Wednesday February 2nd: All students return. We have our Academic Assembly on this day to recognise our high achievers from the 2021 HSC so please be in summer uniform (meaning no sports uniform).
Mr Sean Baldwin
Dear Members of the Trinity Community,
As the 2021 academic year comes to a close, we take this opportunity to thank all students, teachers, parents and families for their continued support and cooperation. Six weeks of online learning, consistent disruption and changes to routine, compliance with a range of restrictions on how we operate and very difficult events within our community make 2021 a year few of us will ever forget. The resilience of our students, staff and families has been first-class.
We wish you all a wonderfully holy, healthy and happy Christmas and New Year period. May you all return refreshed and ready for a new year of learning, growing and becoming at Trinity. 2022 will be an exciting year for Learning & Teaching at Trinity as we develop our school-wide pedagogy framework as part of the IDEAS Project and build on our Vision for Learning:
Trinity Catholic College Lismore vision for learning – ‘Learning with the Heart, Lighting up the Future’ – builds upon the dynamic and rich history of Presentation and Marist education in Northern New South Wales. Nano Nagle, an audacious educator, teaches us to shine a light on the possibilities of the future whilst Marcellin Champagnat’s words - to be of strong mind and gentle heart - continue to provide daily inspiration and purpose to learning and becoming at Trinity. In partnership with families and the community, Trinity educates students to be global citizens who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and character to light their own path to the future. Inspired by Gospel values, students learn to meet future challenges with a strong sense of social awareness, civic responsibility and commitment to personal excellence. Trinity Catholic College enables students to achieve the fullness of life by ‘Learning with the Heart and Lighting up the Future.’
The words and symbols that accompany Trinity’s Vision for Learning reflect its Christ-centred approach and the depth and breadth of its dual charisms, in addition to its core commitments as a learning community. The Lantern references our desire to continue Nano’s work in the 21st century: to be a beacon of light in our community, to illuminate the potential of each learner and to encourage our students to let their light shine in the world, particularly in the darkest of recesses. The Heart dominates the central chamber of the Lantern. The burning heart represents a call for all learners to be of strong mind and gentle heart. Each member of the Trinity community has their name placed within the heart to reflect the tradition established by Marcellin Champagnat of dedicating all to the protection of Mary, our Good Mother. The rays of light emanating from the Lantern reminds us of the importance of looking to the future and the world beyond Trinity. The language used intentionally places learning at the centre of our vision, but preferences learning that is borne out of a heart filled with compassion, love and dignity for all - just as Jesus taught us. Trinity’s vision for learning is future-focused: it calls all learners to light their own path to the future and therefore serve as a beacon of light in the world.
HSC Results & Release of ATARs
Due to the delayed HSC, results and ATARs will not be released until the dates below in January 2022. The College receives all HSC results but not ATARs. Students are asked to forward their ATARs to oosl@trinitylismore.nsw.edu.au.
Reports
Year 7-10 Semester 2 Reports are now available on Lighthouse for Parents, so too the Year 11 Interim Reports. See the infographic below if you require support to login to Lighthouse.
Changes to the Learning Team in 2022
We extend our best wishes to our Leader of Learning PDHPE & Sport, Mr Michael Davies, who is taking leave in 2022. We thank him for his leadership of the PDHPE KLA for many years. In his absence, the PDHPE KLA will be capably led by Mr Tony Flood. In addition, we express our gratitude to Mrs Sheila Martineau, Leader of Learning - Science, who finishes her tenure this year. Sheila’s legacy as Science Leader, among other things, is her capacity to grow the number of students studying a broad range of courses in Stage 6. We congratulate Sheila on her efforts and welcome Ms Katie McCloskey as the new Leader of Learning for Science. We also wish to acknowledge the work of Mrs Robyn Schober in her capacity as Acting Leader of Learning English. Thank you, Robyn, for your contribution to the Learning Team and your leadership of the English KLA between Term 4 2020 - Term 3 2021. Mr Lovett is also to be acknowledged for his time as Acting Leader of Learning Mathematics in 2021.
Mr Jesse Smith - Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching
Ms Alison Unwin - Director of Curriculum
Mr Travis Lyon - Director of Pedagogy
Basketball
A number of our College students have recently attended Basketball NSW High Performance Programs. Lachlan Mallett, Kai Gylling, Jye and Toby Barlow all travelled to Maitland for trials, with Toby and Jye gaining selection in the NSW State Performance Program and D-League tournaments.
We also wish Jackson Ware good luck as he travels south during the break for NSW U/20 selection trials.
Hockey
Maya McGrath continues with her progression in Hockey. Maya has trained with the NSW Pride Women's Hockey squad recently as well as being a part of the NSWIS Emerging Talent squad. Maya has travelled to Sydney for trial matches and will continue on her pursuit of NSW selection in both U/18 and Open Women's squads.
Athletics
Year 8 student Natasha Moretti competed at the NSW All Schools Athletics Championships at Homebush last week. Natasha competed in the 100m (13.99s) and Long Jump (4.34m) and performed very well against the state's best.
Swimming
Congratulations to Ben Auckram who picked up 4 Gold Medals at the recent NSW Multi Class Swimming Championships at Homebush. Ben then traveled to the Swimming North Coast Championships and added to the medal tally.
A number of Trinity Swimmers contested the Swimming North Coast Championships, with Sophie Mayes and Harry Kilburn earning Age Champion honors.
Softball
Lachlan Coe is currently a member of the larger NSW U/18 Boys Softball squad which will be narrowed down to the final team in January, we wish Lachlan good luck in his pursuits during the break.
We also wish our students the best of luck in their sporting pursuits over the Christmas break, whether it be in the pool, on the speedway tracks, on the cricket pitch or on the basketball courts. Enjoy it, stay safe and above all have fun!
Mr Matthew Barlow - Manager of College Sport
DRAMA/ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
The Performing Arts has been utterly slammed these past two years. Postponements, cancellations, restrictions have all been disheartening for our creative community. Though 2021 wasn't the year we had imagined, nor I for my students, there were moments of energy, skill and talent on show with the HSC Drama class HSC performances; HSC Entertainment event 'Step Sets'; Mr Hunter's Year 10 Drama performing to Year 9 Drama which was a real treat to see exceptional acting; and Year 9 Drama performing their monologues last week with such conviction that I had goosebumps!
I recently watched a performance by Theatre Theatre at the Star Court Theatre with some of our talented students involved. To learn lines, blocking and as well school work shows such commitment and dedication to their craft. Congratulations to Ginger Dickens, Fergus Soutar, Milly Mackie, Denham Smoother and Bella Davis-Glencross for a very moving and intense ensemble piece about Hiroshima. If you can please support our local community theatres.
And to end on a high for 2021- Congratulations!
OnSTAGE Individual Performance Nomination - Nakeita Bradbury
OnSTAGE Group Performance Nomination - Nakeita Bradbury, Akira Taitoko, Rosalie Wilson and Zoe Le Marinel. They are also on the Reserve list to perform in Sydney. This is a huge achievement as NESA decided to only have one program of just 3 groups and 4 solos from the whole state. I am very proud of them and the whole class for their high level of performance in the HSC.
Looking forward, next year we have plans: from introducing a new Drama Club; competing in Eisteddfods; to a play production; and early in the year an Entertainment class Event variety night to showcase our community's talent for performing from both the students and staff! So,
Don't lose heart, we need the performing arts - REBOOT 2022
Merry Christmas and have a safe, restful, and fun holiday break.
Mrs Mechelle Anderson - Drama and Entertainment Teacher
As we come to the close of this school year let us take the time to reflect. There have been many challenges for families throughout this year due to Covid restrictions in addition to all the 'normal' challenges of family, school, and community life. Please take the time to slow down and renew yourselves in spirit and body. We are very excited about growing our Parent Assembly options in 2022 here at Trinity. If you have any topics of particular interest do not hesitate to contact me on:
zbrown@trinitylismore.nsw.edu.au
Here is a link to a quick read that you may find helpful:
Kind Regards,
Mrs Zelinda Brown
Trinity Parent Liaison Co ordinator
DENTAL ASSISTANT - FULL TIME - TRAINEESHIP PROVIDED
Goonellabah Dental is looking to employ an enthusiastic person to work at our practice 25 Rous Road Goonellabah. Experienced preferrred but not necessary.
Hours Times and days may vary.
Must be reliable
Honest
Punctual
And most of all have a friendly nature and enjoy working as part of a team.
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