Dear Members of the Trinity Community,

Welcome to Term 3! In a particular way I welcome those new students/families and staff who are joining us this Semester. I trust that your time at Trinity will be fulfilling and enjoyable - welcome.

Whilst I was absent for most of Term 2, it was so pleasing to learn of the many highlights upon my return. The College’s NAIDOC Week celebrations continue to grow. On the final day of Term 2 the College hosted many community elders, families, friends, and special guests. The 2025 NAIDOC Week Theme is “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.” I congratulate all of the students and staff involved, and thank Uncle Gilbert Laurie, for his welcome and smoking ceremonies. On this day the College dedicated its community mural, announced the recipients of our Deadly Leadership Awards and celebrated the oldest living culture in the world.

Last week I was privileged to listen to 10 x Year 11 students who have put themselves forward as candidates for the four College & Ministry Captain positions. It was heartening to hear students speak so passionately and authentically about their Trinity experience.

Looking ahead to Term 3, our College Calendar is filled with opportunities for our students to be involved. As we move toward Week 3, I take this opportunity to wish Year 12 students well for their Trial HSC examinations, HSC practical examinations and hand-ins.

Thank You

I would like to begin by thanking Ms Alison Unwin for serving as Acting Principal in Term 2 during my absence. She was ably supported by Mrs Tracy Benfield (Acting Assistant Principal), Mrs Sueanne Parker (Acting Director of Learning) and Mrs Vanessa McKenzie (Acting Leader of Student Growth). I sincerely appreciate their individual and collective support throughout the period of my absence.

Student Enrolments

All enrolment enquiries are best directed to our Enrolments Officer via email - enrolments@trinitylismore.nsw.edu.au - or phone: (02) 6627 6647. As we are entering the phase of developing the 2026 timetable I respectfully request that you advise the College if your student will not be returning next year. Thank you to families who have already provided this information.

Updated Details - Parent Portal

A reminder to parents/carers to update any changes to contact details eg. phone number/s, home address, email, emergency contact person/s, medical advice, for your student/s by logging onto the Lighthouse parent portal.  It is essential that the College has up to date information on file.

Student Attendance and Punctuality

Sincere thanks to those families who work with us to ensure students are at school every day except when they are unwell or have a legitimate reason for being absent. The NSW Department of Education published this infographic recently which clearly shows the impact of sporadic attendance - even a single day absence in a fortnight - on a student’s learning and social development over their school life.

Staff members are regularly speaking to students about the importance of consistent attendance, in addition to emphasising the importance of punctuality. Our school day starts at 8.55am and ends at 3.06pm. We consistently see students arriving at 9.10am and/or later, therefore missing Tutor Group and the beginning of Period 1 lessons. I am respectfully requesting the support of parents/carers to ensure students are at school and on time in Term 3, including for our upcoming Foundation Day activities. Thank you for your anticipated support. 

e-Safety Resources for Parents/Carers

Below I include a series of resources produced by Safe on Social. I strongly encourage parents/carers to read through these and discuss them with their children. The language - ‘sextortion, deepfakes, phishing’ - may be foreign to us but it is essential we are informed.

• Sextortion - What it is and How to Respond
• Sextortion through Instagram DM’s
• Script for Discussing Sextortion with Teens
• Understanding Sextortion
• Help Lines for Issues Related to Non-Consensual Deepfake Nude Images
• Deepfake Bulling - Student Advice
• Non-Consensual Deepfakes What You Need to Know for Online Safety
• How to prevent  people  from  creating  deepfake  images  of  you
• Understanding Phishing and Tips to Avoid It

Thank you for your ongoing support of the College. May Venerable Nano Nagle, St Marcellin Champagnat and Mary our Good Mother continue to watch over our Trinity community.

Jesse Smith

Welcome to Term 3! A Strong Start Despite a Rainy Setback

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to welcome you and your children back for what promises to be a dynamic and productive Term 3. It’s been a fantastic start to the Term, with students returning full of energy, enthusiasm, and school spirit.

While the weather had other plans for our Athletics Carnival—unfortunately leading to its cancellation—the setback didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of our students. Instead, they channelled their energy into an incredible display of community and House pride during our House Chant Competition held on the first day back.

All ten houses brought their A-game, filling the hall with colour, noise, and passion. It was a fantastic reminder of the strong school spirit that makes our community so special. A special congratulations goes to D'Arcy House, who took out the 2025 Spirit Cup for their outstanding performance and energy.

Students are also to be commended on the way in which they presented themselves for College photos. It was wonderful to see them wearing their uniforms with pride and representing the College so well.

We’re looking forward to the weeks ahead, packed with learning, extracurricular opportunities, and memorable moments. Thank you for your continued support—we can’t wait to see what Term 3 holds for our students.

Final Chance: Free Vision Screening for Students – Specsavers Lismore

This is your final opportunity to register your child for a free vision screening offered by Specsavers Lismore, in partnership with our school. This program supports student health and wellbeing and is part of Specsavers' commitment to improving children's eye health across the Northern Rivers.

The screening will take just five minutes per student and will be conducted onsite by a qualified optometry team. It includes:

• General vision testing
• Eye muscle coordination checks
• Colour vision screening

Last year, more than 300 local students participated, with over 70 identified as needing follow-up care. Specsavers provided those students with bulk-billed eye tests and discounted glasses where needed.

Every participating student will receive a short, confidential report with their results. Only the student's name and date of birth will be shared with Specsavers for the purpose of the screening, and no further personal information will be kept.

Don't miss this final chance to register—help ensure your child’s vision is supporting their learning and success.

Tony Flood

Dear Members of the Trinity Community,

Welcome to Semester 2. We hope all members of our Trinity family enjoyed a relaxing holiday break. We also hope that every student is ready to take on the many opportunities and challenges this Semester will present.

2025 Academic Celebrations – Save the Dates!

We are excited to announce the dates for our 2025 Academic Celebrations. These important events recognise the dedication, achievement, and effort of our students throughout the year. Please mark your calendars:

• Years 7–10 Academic Awards Ceremony
  Monday, 15 December 2025
   A celebration of student achievement and growth across all subjects.
  
  
• Year 11 First in Course Awards
  Friday, 31 October 2025
   Honouring outstanding academic performance in individual subjects.
  
  
• Year 12 Graduation Day, Prize Giving & Farewell Assembly
  Wednesday, 24 September 2025
   A formal farewell to our graduating class, with recognition of academic excellence and personal growth.

Year 12 Trial Exams

Please see linked the timetable for the Year 12 Trial HSC Examination period which commences on Monday, 4 August 2025. All Year 12 Students are also encouraged to read the NESA 2025 Rules and Procedures Guide in relation to the exam period.

Year 11 End of course Exams

The Year 11 Examination period will run from 8 - 12 September.  During this time, Year 11 students are only required to be at the College for their exams, there will not be any Year 11 timetabled classes. We wish Year 11 all the very best for their exams.

Year 10 into 11 Subject Selection

Term 3 Key date

• August 8 2025 Year 10 into 11 Interviews ( 20 min appointments). Students only attend for their appointment and regular classes are paused.

Lifelong Learner Program

Elevate Education Workshops: Supporting Lifelong Learning in Years 10–12

As part of our commitment to nurturing lifelong learners, students in Years 10, 11, and 12 will be participating in Elevate Education workshops on Friday, 22 August. These workshops are designed to equip students with essential study and life skills that support both their academic journey and personal growth.

• Year 10 students will take part in the Time Management workshop. This session helps students develop effective study routines, work smarter, form productive study groups, and overcome procrastination. The goal is to ensure students make the most of their time and stay on top of their responsibilities.
  
  
• Year 11 will engage in the Ace Your Exams workshop, which focuses on mastering exam techniques. Students will learn how to study effectively, avoid repeating mistakes, manage their time during exams, and apply strategies that enhance their performance in high-pressure situations.
  
  
• Year 12 students will participate in the Finishing Line workshop. As they approach the final stretch of their school journey, this session offers a clear road map to help manage stress, maintain a consistent work rate, and refine their preparation for final exams. Students will revisit their goals and learn practical strategies to stay focused and motivated.

These workshops are a valuable part of our Life Long Learner program, providing students with tools that not only support their academic success but also build resilience and confidence for the future.

Subject Support Strategies: English and Mathematics

Here are simple, effective ways students can strengthen their skills in English and Maths at each stage — along with how families can help at home.

Years 7–8

• English: Read regularly — novels, news articles, or short stories — and talk about what you’ve read.
  
  
• Maths: Practise mental maths and number facts through games, puzzles, or apps.
  
  
• Family tip: Chat about reading and problem-solving in everyday life — shopping, cooking, or watching the news.

Years 9–10

• English: Build vocabulary and writing skills by summarising texts or writing short responses to prompts.
  
  
• Maths: Focus on understanding key concepts by reviewing class notes and practising similar questions.
  
  
• Family tip: Ask your child to explain what they're learning — teaching others helps reinforce knowledge.

Years 11–12

• English: Plan and write practice essays, focusing on structure, clarity, and evidence.
  
  
• Maths: Use past exam questions to practise applying methods under timed conditions.
  
  
• Family tip: Support time management and encourage short breaks to maintain focus and reduce stress.

The Australia National Virtual Debating Competition

This year, Trinity Catholic College proudly entered three junior teams into the Australia Virtual Debating Competition, made up of passionate and articulate Year 7 and 8 students. Each team participated in three debates during Term 2, achieving strong results with every team winning at least  one or two debates against schools from across the country.

We are now eagerly awaiting confirmation of which teams will progress to the semi-finals, scheduled for later this term.

This opportunity has been incredibly valuable for all students involved. Some of our debaters returned after participating last year, where they reached the semi-finals and narrowly missed a place in the finals by just one point. Their experience and leadership have been a great asset to the teams. For others, this has been their very first time debating and they have shown incredible courage, growth, and enthusiasm in learning the art of public speaking, argument construction, and collaboration.

Each team receives their debate topic only 24 hours before the debate, giving them a limited window to research, prepare arguments, and allocate speaking roles. In the virtual format, each team member then presents their speech which includes speaking for five minutes directly to the opposing school and adjudicator virtually. This demanding format challenges students to think critically, communicate clearly, and work under pressure in a real-world setting.

All participants should be proud of what they have achieved. Debating has helped these students to develop confidence, build persuasive communication skills, to listen actively, respond respectfully, and support one another as a team. These are lifelong skills that will serve them well in school, leadership positions, and beyond.

Congratulations to our junior debaters for representing Trinity with excellence, courage, and integrity!

We wish all students and families well for the remainder of Term 3.

Alison Unwin - Assistant Principal Learning & Teaching

Amy Pascoe - Director of Teaching Excellence

Tracy Benfield - Director of Learning

Dear Trinity Families,

NAIDOC Assembly & Deadly Awards

In 2025, we celebrate 50 years of NAIDOC week, celebrating Indigenous culture and teaching Australians about First Nations histories and traditions.This year’s theme, The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy, reminds us that young people are the future leaders, culture keepers and change makers. Young people are the next generation - and they are already shaping what comes next. Our NAIDOC Assembly is always a highlight of our school year, celebrating the achievements, contributions, cultural strength and pride of First Nations People. Our Assembly was a joyous celebration with dance, culture, story telling, language and song. We were very fortunate to have local Elders and our families being part of this year’s celebration. A big thank you to Uncle Gilbert Laurie who started our day with a smoking ceremony and shared the meaning behind our Trinity mural, on which he painted many Bundjalung stories. Each year at our NAIDOC Assembly, we acknowledge young First Nation students who have contributed to our school community. This year we were pleased to acknowledge Yr 12 students Kitana King and Scarlett Aquilina-Brown for the Deadly Spirit Award and Wendall Pointon-Wales for the Deadly Leadership Award.

WINTER APPEAL

Thank you to our generous families who have supported our Winter Appeal by sending in personal items to help those who are experiencing hardship during the cold months.  A big thank you to our Year 11 Catholic Faith in Action class who ran a BBQ lunch to raise much needed funds for this year’s Appeal.

You can still help! The Trinity Winter Appeal continues this week and families are encouraged to donate the following items: toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap and wet wipes. Please drop items off to reception.  This items will be shared with Vinnies and The Winsome.

WINTER SLEEP OUT

Trinity Winter Appeal - Cold nights hit hardest when you have no place to call home.

Last Friday night, students from all Year groups across the College came together for our Winter Night Out showing incredible generosity by raising funds and awareness for people experiencing homelessness. The night was full of activities aimed at learning about the impact of homelessness in our community and what students can do to help to support those who need it most. In an example of putting our faith into action, students made emergency food packs which will feed locals living rough this coming week in an action of solidarity and compassion. These packs were shared amongst  The Lismore Winsome Soup Kitchen, The Good Pantry and Lismore Vinnies. It is such a wonderful sight to see young people moved with empathy and compassion to serve others.

All School’s Mass

Please mark the following Community & School’s Mass dates in your calendar. Please come along with other families from our Parish schools to celebrate Mass together.

A free sausage sizzle will be held afterwards in the Parish grounds.

Term 3 - Saturday August 16 - 5:30pm

Term 4 - Saturday November 8 - 5:30pm

ALUMNI - 40 years of Trinity, College Mass and Dinner

Trinity celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year. Our students will start celebrations with our Foundation Mass on Friday 15th August in St Carthage's Cathedral.

Our Alumni will have a chance to get together for dinner on Saturday evening.  This will no doubt be a wonderful night of connection, laughter and memories.

All ex-students of the College, please be sure to purchase your tickets for the dinner by August 10th.

Annette White - Director of Mission

Term Three is a busy and exciting Term for the English Department.

BYRON BAY SECONDARY SCHOOLS WRITERS DAY

On August 7, fifty students from across Years 7-10 will attend the Byron Bay Secondary Writers Day at the Bangalow Showgrounds. Through eight engaging sessions, the students will be invigorated by rich conversations about writing and storytelling, fantasy worlds, poetry, historical reckonings and inspiring futures.

Featuring the queen of fantasy, Isobelle Carmody, the king of crime writing, Michael Robotham, the best selling author of ‘The Bok Thief’, Marcus Zusak as well as celebrated authors, Corey Tutt, Anita Heiss, Sarah Armstrong, Santilla Chingaipe and poet, Maxine Benebe Clarke, the students will enjoy their own Byron Writers Festival experience with author signings, books available to buy, as well as food and drink options.

WRITE A BOOK IN A DAY

Over a hundred students will participate in Write a Book in a Day on August 14.   The students, in groups, will create Picture Books from various stimuli provided on the day.   All registration fees and money raised during Write a Book in a Day will directly fund vital childhood cancer reasearch projects via the "Kids' Cancer Project". 

The Kids’ Cancer Project has committed over $75 million to a host of research projects across Australia, overseen breakthroughs that have made the cover of the Cancer Research Journal, funded the development of apps to help kids thrive after treatment and provided the initial funding for programs like Zero Childhood Cancer, ensuring every Australian child with cancer is given access to clinical trial. 

Write a Book in a Day is every book submitted will also be made available for free to young people in hospitals around Australia, while funds raised will work to get them out of hospital and back in the classroom sooner.  All books submitted will be assessed and there are prizes on offer thoughout the competition.  Winners of the "Best Overall Book" and "Best Illustrations" prizes will be chosen from each State as well as nationally at the end of the competition.

 Michael Lill - Leader of Learning English

Do you know how vital sleep is to your children's health, learning and emotional wellbeing? Do you know what effects screens are having on the quantity and quality of our sleep? Don't miss this opportunity to find out strategies you can use to help your children develop healthy sleeping habits for optimal function!

Join Sleep Educator Lisa Maltman from The Sleep Connection for an insight into how important sleep is for your children - and you - and tips for making sure the whole family gets enough zzzzzzzz.

PLEASE JOIN US FOR CCSP’S TERM 3 SLEEP WEBINAR

Wednesday 13 August

7pm - 8pm

PRESENTED BY THE SLEEP CONNECTION

Register using the link - See you online!

For parents and carers of K-12 school students