Dear Members of the Trinity Community,

Welcome to a new Semester of learning and opportunity. I often speak to our students about their Trinity experience being governed by the opportunities they take up in the classroom and beyond it. This requires a level of commitment and participation. It requires students to be active in their approach rather than passive.

Active participation in the classroom does require a set of foundational work habits. Such work habits were reported on at the end of Semester 1 in the Year 7-10 Reports. The work habits are identified as:

• Effort & participation in class.
• Completion of homework & tasks.
• Organisation & preparation for class.
• Cooperation with teachers and class members.
• Appropriate use of technology for learning.

I commend those students who demonstrated positive work habits in Semester 1 and strongly encourage all students to re-set and make a positive commitment to developing such habits in the Term ahead. Perhaps the most challenging of these for some of our students is “appropriate use of technology for learning.”

The overwhelming majority of students bring a phone and another device to school. Mobile phones are useful but also very distracting. Many students lose valuable learning and social time because they are preoccupied with their mobile phone. More specifically, they are more interested in accessing social media platforms - e.g. TikTok and Instagram - than engaging with those around them. The Social Dilemma identified many of the challenges associated with these platforms.

As educators we have to strike the balance between teaching young people to self-manage whilst also ensuring boundaries are maintained. Throughout this Semester, this will be a focus for us here at the College. Ultimately our aim is to have well informed and well rounded students who are capable of navigating the world - real and virtual - now and into the future. Technology use in a school setting should thus be oriented towards promoting learning and wellbeing outcomes - not detracting from these.

Congratulations to Ben Aukram
Ben has been appointed Vice Captain of the NSW Schools Leadership Group which will compete in the School Sport Australia Swimming Championships in Brisbane. Ben will be an integral part of the Leadership Team to assist with over 130 swimmers who have been selected from all Secondary schools in NSW. This team has been chosen from the NSW All Schools Swimming Championships. Team Managers identified Ben as having outstanding leadership qualities. Not only will he be mentoring the team but assisting with relay selection and building a team ethos. He will serve as a role model for other swimmers. This is a very prestigious role with many of the past Team Leaders having gone on to be Olympic and Commonwealth Games Team members. The College is very proud of Ben’s appointment!

Key Dates Term 3

• Monday 1 August - Trial HSC Examinations Commence for Year 12
• Monday 15 August - Trial HSC Examinations Conclude for Year 12
• Monday 15 August - Staff Spirituality Day (Pupil Free Day for all students except Year
• 12 students undertaking Trial HSC Examinations)
• Monday 5 September - Year 11 Examinations Commence
• Tuesday 13 September - Year 11 Examinations Conclude
• Thursday 22 September - Graduation Day for Year 12
• Friday 23 September - Final day of Term

Natural Disasters Workshops facilitated by Headspace
On Wednesday 10 August in the Whitebrook Theatre our students will attend a workshop facilitated by Headspace.

Year 7 - Period 1

Year 8 - Period 2

Year 9 - Period 3

Year 10 - Period 4

These are important workshops that will help our students process the natural disasters we experienced earlier in 2022. If parents/carers have any concerns about their child/ren they are encouraged to contact the student’s Tutor or Leader of House.

Year 10 Students not Returning in 2023
Each year a number of Year 10 students, with the support of their families, choose to pursue other types of vocational education or move to employment opportunities. I respectfully ask that any student in this category inform me as soon as this is known by emailing principal@trinitylismore.nsw.edu.au. This information is vital for our 2023 planning.

2023 Enrolments
Following yesterday’s well attended Open Day at our SCU campus enrolments for 2023 remain open. Applications can be made through our website or by contacting our Enrolments Officer, Mrs Jenny Dwyer via phone: 6627 6647 or email: enrolments@trinitylismore.nsw.edu.au. 

Winter Uniform & Presentation
If any student, particularly any flood affected student, requires support with uniform items please liaise with the relevant Leader of House and this will be sorted. I ask that all students present to school each day in accordance with the College expectations, with particular attention being paid to hairstyles (neat and appropriate) and jewellery (no facial piercings). Male students are to be clean shaven. The College’s uniform policy can be found on the College website. As we are now in winter uniform mode, College jumpers and blazers are required. Thank you for your support in this space.

Best wishes for the remainder of Term 3.  May Venerable Nano Nagle, St Marcellin Champagnat and Mary our Good Mother continue to watch over our Trinity community.

Mr Jesse Smith

Welcome back to Term 3 to all members of the Trinity Community. We have certainly hit the ground running. Unfortunately our Trinity Race Day had to go ahead without local races but those that attended still had a great day. Thanks for your patronage. I still hope we can build our race day into a huge community event with current families as well as our Alumni. I have seen it happen in Inverell and Moree where school race days attract a crowd over the 1000 mark and ex students use it as the opportunity to host a reunion of sorts. That is my vision.

On our first day back in Term 3 we welcomed 10 new students to the Trinity family. This is so exciting and they are a welcome addition to the College. I hope all the new students feel like they belong at Trinity, and this is the environment for them. Our numbers are certainly building in a positive direction. Any wonder why they wouldn't, when the College presents a performance like Inspirations on the Wednesday of Week 1. Inspirations lived up to its name. Eight Year 12 students showcasing their brilliance at choreographing a dance routine, selecting music, coaching another student to perform the routine and then performing by themselves. It was very heartening to see the bond built between the Year 12 and their Year 9 or Year 10 dancers.

In Week 2 we have successfully conducted the Athletics Carnival, had Year 11 Work Placements, watched close to 200 students from Year 10 and 11 get great benefit from attending the Future Options Careers Expo, enjoyed amazing success at the Lismore Open Basketball Challenge, welcomed proud parents, carers and grandparents as we congratulated students from Years 7 to 10 for their diligence and excellence at our Semester One Academic Assemblies and competed in the Far North Coast Rugby Union 7’s. The FNC 7’s was particularly satisfying for our senior boys who, due to Covid over the past two years, have not represented Trinity since their Year 9. 

The culmination of all of this was Open Day where we welcomed numerous visitors and prospective students. Trinity has certainly bounced back from the devastation of February 28th and we are starting to really thrive. Thanks to the students, staff and supporters of the College for being so inspiring and for working so hard. This is a very special school.     

Lismore Open Basketball Challenge
Our Open Boys and Girls Basketball teams contested the Lismore Basketball Challenge on Wednesday July 27th with great results. The Boys team went through undefeated, taking an 83-44 win in the Grand Final over Lindisfarne. 

The Girls defeated Lindisfarne and Woodlawn in the rounds to progress through to play The Rivers College in the Grand Final. The girls played well but unfortunately were defeated in the final, finishing runners up.

Mr Sean Baldwin 

Dear Members of the Trinity Community,

Trial HSC Examinations
We would like to wish Year 12 all the best as they start their HSC Trial Exams this week. It is vital that students or parents contact the Office of Student Learning before 9.00am if they are unable to attend an examination: (02) 66161372.

Click here to access the timetable. 

Year 10 into 11 Interview Day
The Year 10 interviews are this Friday, 5 August 2022 at our Trinity campus at Woodlawn. Year 10 students will not be required to be in normal timetable classes. They are to attend the interview in full College uniform and leave with their parents at the completion of the interview. The booking portal has now closed. Please email oosl@trinitylismore.nsw.edu.au if you have any concerns about your appointment.

Year 8 into 9 Subject Selection
Year 8 students have until Wednesday 3 August to make their elective choices for Year 9 2023.  Please email the Office of Student Learning at oosl@trinitylismore.nsw.edu.au if you have any questions related to subject selection.

Ms Alison Unwin - Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching

Mrs Tracy Benfield - Director of Curriculum

English - Year 7, Poetry

In Term 2, Year 7 students had the opportunity to explore poetry.

Students read poems from around the world and considered the creative use of language and the meaning of each poem. Students recognised that poetry is a succinct way of writing but often contains layers of meaning. They appreciated the way poets think carefully about their word choice, form and meaning.

Here are some of the questions students considered:

• How can the language of poetry be used to create images that challenge and expand our view of ourselves, others and the world?
• How can poetry help us to view the world through the eyes of another?
• How can poetry help us to view the ordinary in new and interesting ways?

Students also challenged themselves to write in different poetry forms including haiku, free verse and rhymed poetry. They wrote poems focussing on the senses and poetry that expressed emotion. Some students found writing poetry demanding but many were inspired, playing with their imagination and words to create some original poems.

Mrs S Wallington (Year 7 English Teacher)

We learnt about different techniques that are used in poetry and we looked at numerous poems by many famous poets. We studied poems like ‘From a Railway Carriage’ by Robert Louis Stevenson and ‘Dear Matafele Peinam’ by Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner. One of our favourite poems was ‘Rain’ by Hone Tuwhare. We learnt about all the different types of poems and we wrote our own too.

By Eden Kelly and Gigi Zorzo

We started Term 3 with four, fully operational Science labs, leading to an excellent amount of student inquiry and experimentation over the past two weeks.

Year 9 students studying the Periodic Table got stunning results using flame tests to identify metals. Year 7 students are making 3D cell models and using microscopes to examine the fine detail of cells and organisms. Year 8s have started doing dissections of flowers and pig hearts whilst studying Functioning Organisms. Year 10 students are investigating Chemical Reactions, starting with acid reactions and understanding pH.

The start to our Term has seen a flurry of science activity and our labs are in full swing. It's wonderful to be in our new laboratories and we are so grateful for the community support.

Ms Katie McCloskey - Leader of Science

CONTACT UPDATE

6616 1372      Office of Student Learning - Woodlawn 

6616 1371      Reception - Woodlawn

6627 6647      Enrolment Officer - SCU