Factis 2015

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factis 2015

A new era Get to know our new Principal and his fresh ideas

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STOR ND THE AROU PUS CA M

Inside: Our Fantastic Fair A Music Masterclass Fantastic Academic Results


W WELCOME FROM THE PRINCIPAL

the new kid at school By Mr Bradley Fry, Tintern Schools Principal

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hat an amazing welcome! Reflecting on the first term, I am still both humbled and startled by the warmth of Tintern’s welcome to me and my family. As newcomers to the community, we have been accepted, supported and encouraged in every way as we have entered our new lives as members of the Tintern family. It has been a welcome unlike anything I have experienced at previous schools and certainly confirms the impression I had as an outsider; that Tintern is a warm, vibrant and welcoming environment for all its members, whether you are a student, a Principal, or a parent (and we have all three in our household!). As a school, Tintern manages to achieve the delicate and challenging balance between providing an excellent academic education with a ‘whole child’ emphasis and individual care for every member of the community. Clearly, at Tintern, every child matters. This is achieved successfully by few schools in my experience. That Tintern does this is a testament to both our excellent staff and our supportive broader community. For our family, the move to Tintern has been a very significant one, involving our family moving cities (from Ballarat to Melbourne), moving houses (from our on-campus accommodation in Ballarat to our own house just down the hill from Tintern) and moving schools from Ballarat Grammar to Tintern for both me and our children.


Such changes are challenging enough for an adult, let alone a younger person leaving their school and all their friends. Thankfully, the students and staff of Tintern have made it possible for this transition to be as easy as it could be for all of us and have even been tolerant of my support for the Melbourne Football Club! These experiences have enabled me to walk the journey of any new student to the school, a luxury afforded by few Principals. This journey has already been an actionpacked mixture of new experiences for all of us. Tintern has proven to be an exciting and energising mixture of caring and capable people, varied and interesting new subjects, wonderful teaching and learning, an astounding School Production in Cabaret

and thoughtful Year 12 Leaders – along with much more! I already admire and am very grateful for the passion, commitment and support of The Tintern Association and Southwood Parents Club, along with Friends of Young Farmers, Friends of Equestrian, Friends of Music, TOGA and SOBA and a number of very significant benefactors I have already been fortunate enough to meet. We are all, not only the Fry family, fortunate to be a part of this caring and supportive community. As I write this at the end of Term 2, I am already looking forward to second semester. I am fortunate to work with a committed and excellent staff, who collaborate to ensure the best growth, development and support of our students. They live out the

School’s motto, Factis non Verbis (deeds not words) by demonstrating leadership in their own professional learning, willingness to encourage and stand by each other and an ongoing commitment to the best they can do in their roles and responsibilities. Looking ahead at the calendar, we have an amazing range of activities and events where our young people will showcase their talents and hard work that have been developed and honed by the whole community of our school. It is no wonder our students and all our community speak of our school in such glowing terms - it is a special place indeed!

As newcomers to the community we have been accepted, supported and encouraged in every way as we have entered our new lives as members of Tintern Schools.

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A message from the Board After a busy 2014, with the transition of the boys to Ringwood East, the completion of our new Middle Schools building and everyone settling in together, this year is shaping up to be a very successful year at Tintern Schools. By Greg Hoxley, Chair, Tintern Schools Board

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014 was also a year of farewells as our Principal of nine years, Mrs Jenny Collins, announced her retirement after a long and successful career in education. We thank her for all that she has done for the School in her time here and hope that we will see her again shortly. The first term of the 2015 school year started under the stewardship of Mr Jason McManus, as Acting Principal, who did a marvellous job of starting off the school year. I wish to thank him on behalf of the Board for his willingness to step into this role and for the fantastic work he did in filling it. Term 2 saw our new Principal, Mr Brad Fry, join the School. Brad has brought a wonderful energy and passion to the role and I am very pleased by the way he and his family have settled into our community. We look forward to what he will contribute to the present and future of the school. The Board and Executive have

been reaching out to our community throughout this year and will continue to do so in the coming months. Tintern has a vibrant community, just part of what makes this such a great school, and so it is important to listen and learn from this community as to how our school is performing. Brad has recently initiated a series of Principal’s Forums to gather ideas from our community on a range of topics, and these forums will continue into the future. We are currently looking at how to further define and improve upon our Parallel Learning model on one site. The educational and developmental advantages of Parallel Learning are second to none, but as few schools have walked this path before us we must constantly reassess and discuss how to continue to improve. The consultation with community is just part of this. At the end of 2014 we launched our Strategic Plan for the school, and we

SOUTHWOOD FOUNDATION ASSEMBLY

are now considering the next steps towards bringing this plan to fruition. The recent building works that have taken place are a major part of what we hope will become a more extensive reshaping of the school facilities, as we look to complete our Tintern Schools Master Plan. There is a special feeling on our school grounds that you cannot help but notice as soon as you step on site. The confidence of the students, their willingness to try new things and the way they engage with the wide range of activities that are available constantly impresses me. Our vision for the School is to ensure that each student is encouraged and supported to achieve their goals, and that their individual pathways are honoured. This edition of Factis shows the diversity of opportunities available to our students and just some of the many individual achievements that have occurred. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have.

The annual Foundation Assembly for Southwood was held on 20 July and proved to be a warm and positive event. The Jazz band’s rollicking rendition of Happy ensured all Prep-Year 12 boys and the many parents in attendance were in a vibrant spirit. Past Student Thomas Lacey updated us on Strictly Ballroom, and we were delighted to welcome and hear from past Tintern Schools Principal, Dr Sylvia Walton, AO.

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TINTERN FAIR 2015

Fun for all the ages Well, what a fabulous day we all enjoyed at the Fair. How blessed we were to witness the weather miracle that kept the rain away for precisely the hours of our festivities! By Amanda McKenzie, Fair Convenor

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rom fantastic stage performances, exciting rides and activities, to the many things to look at, buy or eat, it was a great day out for all ages. There were children with showbags walking around, delighted shrieks coming from the rides, and colourful classic cars on the oval. Our Student Leaders were kept busy with eager people attempting to convert coins into chocolate, and adding colour to the night with an assortment of glowing goodies at the end of the day. Our performers kept the stage buzzing all day, and the drawing of the raffles was an exciting time with the winner of the Nissan Micra car zipping down the Giant Slide at the time of the draw! And who can forget the fun of dunking our teachers; our sports teachers have built up a good skillset of throwing skills amongst their students! On behalf of the Tintern Fair Committee and the entire school community, thank you all for coming along and contributing to the great community day.

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ALFRED KOURIS School Captain Over the course of this year, I have been provided with the opportunity to interact with a diverse range of people. This has enabled me to grow as a person and become a more well-rounded individual. I don’t have one particular moment that I am proudest of, but it is the little daily things that make me most proud, such as the way I am able to positively impact and connect with the younger kids by endeavouring to be a good role model to them. For example, when I became the ‘pirate’ for the Prep to Year 2 Cross Country. The joy I brought to them by handing out buried treasure (Freddo Frogs) was extremely fulfilling.

Leading from the front TARA McASEY

CHLOE ECKLEY

JACK READ

TIM MASON

Leadership is about respecting other people’s opinions and beliefs but also having fun and connecting. My leadership skills have come in handy when I am asked for advice. My proudest moment was when I helped a younger student with a problem and the next week they thanked me, I felt so proud to earn their trust. Leadership is about connecting and helping others with compassion. In the real world, communication and connection helps you find new opportunities, and new opportunities help you learn.

I have had the opportunity to develop many leadership and organisation skills. One of the most important lessons I have learnt is that everyone’s ideas are valid and diverse. My proudest moment as a leader so far would be laying a wreath at the ANZAC Day memorial. I felt honoured to be part of something so important and to have the chance to show my respect. Being a leader has helped me to develop skills, such as organisation, time management and flexibility, that I will surely be grateful for in the future.

Being in a leadership position has helped me improve myself. I have gained a lot of confidence from public speaking at events and assemblies. Another great part of being a leader is working with Mr Trollope and Miss Constable as it has showed me how much effort they put into making the school a better place. This has taught me to strive for greatness in what I do. The main leadership skills I have been using include strong decision making, teaching people how to deal with different situations and respecting others’ decisions.

Good leadership takes strength of character and a commitment to do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reason. Leading and living by example isn’t as hard as it might sound. My proudest moment would probably be speaking at the commissioning assembly for Mr Fry. It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to welcome a new Principal and I took great honour in being able to do so especially when this is Tintern’s first ever male principal! Leadership is a journey and there will be many valuable lessons along the way.

Middle School

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Middle School

Middle School

Middle School


RACHAEL SHEEHAN School Captain I’ve discovered that the most important thing you can do as a leader is to trust yourself. Funnily enough, it is also one of the hardest things to do. You find yourself delegating, planning and compromising, but no matter what the task in front of me is, I always trust my values and myself. This is especially true since I’ve had the challenge of striking a balance between IB and leadership. I’ve been lucky enough to have an incredibly supportive team to work with and the task of maintaining a positive attitude is therefore easier. The experience I’ve gained has undoubtedly shaped me, as my confidence has grown and I have become more aware of the influence I can have in the community. I’ve been given the opportunity to discuss issues with the Federal Member for Deakin, Michael Sukkar. It has been really empowering to know that my voice can be heard. I’ve really enjoyed my role this year and I know that it is something I will carry with me and hopefully expand on in the future.

At Tintern we are pleased to offer a range of leadership opportunities for our students. From Class Captains, to House Captains, Music Captains, Sustainability Captains and more – leadership is nurtured and encouraged. Below our Captains for 2015 share their journey.

ALANA LAWSON

HOLLY WHITFIELD

JAMES MANSON

MATTHEW ANDERSON

As a leader I have learnt that everyone has their own voice. I am proud to say I have learnt from my peers. Since I am shy, making public speeches is for me like giving a cat a bath. With encouragement from teachers and friends, I have gained confidence and can now do this more easily. My leadership skills come in handy when I am required to make impromptu speeches. I can think quickly on my feet and express myself clearly. When in my peer group, I am more confident to speak my mind and give advice.

As a leader, my proudest moment was on camp in Canberra, laying a wreath at the Australian War Memorial. It was such a privilege to be the person who paid our respects on behalf of Tintern. My leadership experience of being School Captain will definitely stand me in good stead for the future by always pushing and challenging myself to be the best I can be and to always try my hardest. Not only that, but it has given me the understanding and knowledge of how important it is to have a good role model and to respect others’ situations.

I have always wanted to be a School Captain and this year my dream came true. My leadership skills have come in handy in many ways. I have been able to help others, which is something I have always done and will continue doing. Another aspect is sports: I feel like I can help other people become better at sport and I can lead the team to victory. I also find this happens with everyday life; you need to be strong and tell others when they are doing something wrong. Overall the experience has been amazing.

When I was told that I had been elected School Captain I jumped out of my seat. This role had always been a dream of mine. The first reading I did, I was really nervous. But now my public speaking skills have improved and I am more confident. I have represented the Junior School when the Westpac Helicopter visited, represented Tintern at the ANZAC Day ceremony and assemblies. Being a School Captain is a great experience and it has taught me responsibility. Sometimes I feel a bit pressured but it is also a lot of fun.

Junior School

Junior School

Junior School

Junior School

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Academic Excellence at Tintern At Tintern, we value excellence in all we do. We set the academic bar high for our students and thrill as they rise to each challenge and achieve the very best they can. Teaching staff model this mindset, as all good teachers are learners, inquiring into their practice, conducting action research and collaborating to review and revise programs. By Jason McManus, Vice Principal – Curriculum, Reporting, Assessment and Innovation

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eaching is a collaborative profession that has a cumulative effect on students over time. As teachers work as self-regulating learners, they are best placed to guide students toward this goal. This synergy between high expectations, curriculum that is focussed on individual student needs, and teachers who demonstrate continuous improvement as well as teach it, is what leads to high academic achievement for our students. This is not just in academic growth but growth in all aspects of our Learner Profile. We aim to develop students who are: knowledgeable, inquirers, communicators, balanced, resilient, ethical, reflective, and collaborative. Research shows that teachers have the most significant external effect on student outcomes. So when we have professional learning targeted at classroom practice aligned with rigorous academic, pastoral and co-curricular programs focussed on individual student need, we will succeed in our goal to produce well-rounded human beings who are ready to contribute successfully to a complex and changing world.

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CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2014 It is the combination of Tintern’s education and co-curricular opportunities that make our students ready for life beyond school. Tintern Schools class of 2014 achieved exceptional academic results for the International Baccalaureate, VCE and VCE/VET. We saw many students achieve their personal best and as a result, have gone on to their first choice of University course. One of our key aims is to provide a distinct pathway for every girl and every boy. Our Year 12 graduates achieved a Median ATAR of 80.60, and in total 16.4% of study scores were at 40 or above in the VCE and IB equivalent.

DUCES

OVERALL & IB DUX Moya Zhang VCE DUX Rhys Bennett DUX OF VISUAL ARTS Rhian Wilkins DUX OF COMMERCE Jordana Di Battista DUX OF HUMANITIES Alannah Murray DUX OF MATHS & SCIENCE Oliver Wykes

ATAR and Combined VCE/ IB Results (%) 99 and above 6% 95 and above 18% 90 and above 24% 80 and above 50%


PEER PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

Tintern Schools has always recognised the importance of supporting the professional learning of our teachers throughout their careers. In the past this predominantly involved sending staff out of school to conferences and workshops. In the last five years research into best educational practice has shown that the most effective and enduring professional learning is that which is conducted in school, ongoing, collegial and collaborative with a focus on capacity building, i.e.: ‘How are you going to enable your students to be able to do or understand something better?’ It is also vital that teachers take ownership of what they want to develop further. High-performing countries like Finland have proven the positive impact of professional self-evaluation and personal accountability where professional learning is front and centre.* We first trialled a Peer Partnership program in 2012 with the English department. This was then rolled out to Heads of Department and in 2015, all teaching staff participate in this program.

How does it work?

Teachers are partnered up and discuss areas of their teaching that they would like to develop, generally in line with faculty or school focus areas. The teams then develop a ‘data tool’ as means of measuring their practice. After partners have observed each others’ classes, they then reflect on how each lesson went, provide feedback and discuss how they are performing in relation to the goal they have set.

What do our staff think about Peer Partnership? To have the time to sit down and reflect on a specific way to improve my teaching is wonderful. I don’t see it as a ‘tick the box’ program but rather as an opportunity to develop a strategy that will become embedded in my practice.

IB AWARDS

On Wednesday 25 February seven of our 2014 graduates were recognised at the International Baccalaureate Awards Ceremony. This event celebrates and honours the achievements of high scoring IB students in Victoria and Tasmania. Congratulations to Kaitlin Bakken, Anna Church, Alannah Murray, Olympia Sarris, Henry Wang and Steven Yang on their achievements, and particularly Moya Zhang for achieving a perfect score. The evening was a true celebration for the IB community, focussing on the special aspects of the IB – the academic rigour, the development of the whole person and the commitment to intercultural and global understanding. By Nola Brotchie, IB Diploma Program Co-ordinator

* (Cordingley, P (2013) ‘The role of professional learning in determining the teaching professions future’ CSE Seminar Series 222)

Anthea Watkins (Science)

I have enjoyed the process of peer partnership, working with a colleague to discuss our teaching with a view to “how can we improve or develop our current practice?” Having a colleague come into class to observe a specific teaching practice helps to sharpen my focus on skills and techniques. It makes me examine critically how I do things which is always good for improvement, and it also brings affirmation that would not otherwise be experienced. Although it is worthwhile for staff, most of all the students benefit from best teaching practice. Students also realise that we continue to learn and refine skills throughout life. Nola Brotchie (History/English) This experience made me take the time to reflect explicitly on aspects of my classroom practice, and I have no doubt that I am now doing some things better. We have also been able to draw on our individual experiences as a faculty, and had some very rich conversations about how we can refine our curriculum and practice as a team of teachers, as well as individually. Chris Millgate-Smith (English) This program provides an opportunity to reflect on a very specific area of one’s own teaching practice. The observing colleague can gather data which is impossible to collect for oneself whilst engaged in the teaching session thereby providing an invaluable insight into the focus area through hard data. Mary Whitcher (Girls Junior) By Sue Mackay, Director of Professional Learning & Performance FACTIS / 9


building a sustainable future EARLY LEARNING CENTRE

OUR LITTLEST LEARNERS Our Early Learning Centre offers a supportive learning environment. We incorporate teaching and learning styles which support a balance of child-initiated experiences and teacher-led learning. This whole-child approach encourages students to explore, be curious and creative. By Anna Riddell, Head of Tintern Schools ELC and Tintern Junior School

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e combine the best elements of early childhood learning theory and with on-going professional development of staff to ensure we are looking after each individual child’s strengths and interests. Our indoor and outdoor spaces are inviting and facilitate a large variety of developmental play and group learning. Staff work alongside children to assist with ‘guided play’ so the children are learning at every opportunity. Developing literacy skills are nurtured through the Letterland program, which offers an introduction to the world of letters and words. This program is colourful and engaging and a big hit with our young learners. I haven’t met one

student over the years who doesn’t enjoy the stimulating world of Letterland! We work in partnership with families and parents are encouraged to take an active part in their child’s learning. Each child’s learning journey is recorded through photos, creative expression, running records and observation notes to ensure we have a thorough knowledge of their development and are assisting them to be school-ready. Last year, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development awarded our ELC and After School Care the highest grade of ‘Exceeding National Quality Standard’, the highest possible grade available. Our ELC truly gives our students the best possible start to their education.

Children and staff in the ELC are working together to explore, develop and embed sustainable practices in our early learning program. As staff, we believe that by embedding sustainable practice into the lives of our youngest students, we can promote a bright future for all. Staff are engaged in professional development to increase our knowledge and range of practices in environmental, economic and social sustainability. Environmental sustainability is perhaps the most obvious and easiest place to start. In recent years, we have developed a working vegetable garden and compost system, implemented sustainability monitors who take care of our pets, plants, recycling and turning off the lights, and built a small mud brick house. We’ve also made the commitment to go paper-free in our communications. Social sustainability, a lesser known aspect of sustainability, is of great interest to us. This refers to all human activities within our social system. For our young learners this means developing the foundations for life-long success in relationships, play, academic learning, physical activity and self-confidence. We have learnt that practices are embedded when children remember to do them without prompting. When a child refused to go home last week until he’d watered the plants, we began to feel we are on the way to achieving our goal.

By Amanda Cooke, ELC Coordinator

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TINTERN JUNIOR SCHOOL

Confidence matters

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By Anna Riddell, Head of Tintern Schools ELC and Tintern Junior School

ecently I came across an article written by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, both successful journalists, highlighting the confidence gap between men and women. The article revealed that more women than men are now gaining undergraduate and graduate degrees. Half of the workforce are women and more are making it to middle management than ever before. Yet research shows that women attribute their perceived success to ‘luck’ rather than their hard work. These studies demonstrate women possess a lack of confidence in their own abilities. If we track back to the earlier school years, especially for females in the 21st Century, we find clues as to why women do not have the level of confidence you would expect when they get out into the workforce. The majority of girls who enter Prep are feeling good about themselves but as they progress through school their emotional well-being often deteriorates. A much smaller percentage of girls feel emotionally strong, confident and resilient when entering the workforce or progressing onto tertiary education. Anxiety is on the increase with more than one in four girls under the age of 18 suffering some form of

this debilitating condition. Pressures on girls from wide-ranging factors increase as they grow up. Michael Carr-Gregg argues that girls enter a massive beauty contest from the moment they’re born. Prominent commentator and expert on girls’ affairs, Dannielle Miller, writes “while teenage girls are excelling as never before and may appear to be coping with the demands life throws at them, behind closed doors many are silently imploding.” What we do know is that if your daughter has a repertoire of good friends to support her through the good and bad times, it is more likely for her to feel good about herself and to succeed in the wider world when leaving school. In short, confidence matters as much as competence to live a happy and fulfilled life. This is that special something we all want for our children and ourselves.

Here are five steps to assist our girls to translate childhood potential to adult achievement. Be available for heart-toheart conversations. Girls in

particular need plenty of time to discuss and work through issues with a trusted adult.

Encourage participation in a wide range of activities to boost their self-belief and level of independence.

Camps, co-curricular activities, sport and competitive activities are great for this. Look for signs. Poor sleeping, over attentiveness with appearance, perfectionism, being overly apologetic and avoiding activities that promote personal development are all signs of low self esteem or confidence. Encourage them to try new things that take them out of their comfort zone.

Establish rules regarding the use of electronic devices. Don’t allow them in

bedrooms!

Get help early.

Some students may need professional support in early years to boost confidence in advance of those older tricky teen and early adult years.

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SOUTHWOOD JUNIOR SCHOOL

Pirates Ahoy!

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg often states that it is “tougher to be a young person now” than in any other time of history. He feels the keys to creating healthy and welladjusted young adults includes strong relationships, resilience, bouncing back in times of adversity and having “islands of competence” or core strengths. By Adam Kenny, Head of Southwood Junior School and Boys Education

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ithin our Boys Junior School the learning is immersed in a calm and fun-loving environment. Time fluctuates between the steely focus on academic rigour and the laughter and hustle and bustle associated with the arts, music, sporting activities and general energy and effervescence at recreation time. There is always a visible, warm connection between staff and students and as our youngest learners grow, this relationship may change shape in how it looks, but it is always there. In his book ‘Raising Boys’, Stephen Biddulph states “Boys learn teachers.” Whilst this is a generalisation, research indicates that once boys have established a positive relationship with the subject teacher, the application to and interest in academic work becomes paramount. This year our theme in the Boys

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Junior School is Be a Southwood PIRATE. We have encouraged our boys to tackle tasks with Passion. Steve Jobs once said that “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” We want our boys to ignite their sparks of interest, to love school and life and we want them doing great work. We want our boys to be Involved. Boys in particular learn best by doing. Benjamin Franklin said “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn.” Our smaller school allows for all boys to be involved. All of our Year 3-6 boys are in our choir, all of our Year 5 and 6 boys play the competitive sports of their choice, and all have speaking parts in our Junior School Production. Involvement allows for opportunities to be grasped and builds confidence through doing. Our Compass provides guidance with regard to values, and Respect, Tolerance and Enthusiasm in our

PIRATE acronym are reinforced and modelled every day at Tintern. Our ‘A’ is Ask! We consider this key to the development of our boys. It was Albert Einstein who said “the important thing is not to stop questioning: curiosity has its own reason for existing.” We want our boys to not just follow in blind faith; we want them to seek their own answers, to be confident enough to question their experiences, to be brave enough to take safe risks and to make their learning now, and in the future, one that is exciting and fuelled by wonder, rather than one that is predetermined. Our boys are thoroughly enjoying being a Southwood PIRATE: Passionate, Involved, Respectful, Ask questions, be Tolerant, be Enthusiastic. They enjoy a unique schooling experience at Tintern where they have a lot of opportunities to try new things and find their “islands of competency.”


TINTERN MIDDLE SCHOOL

Creativity = Happiness The Middle School years are a time of rapid change for girls. As they begin to navigate their way to becoming independent young women, we work to help them develop an understanding of who they are, how they learn, a positive sense of self and an ability to create, develop and maintain positive relationships. By Oriana Constable, Head of Tintern Middle School and Girls Education

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nurturing creativity

cademically, girls are given the opportunity to explore and develop their interests in an environment that encourages them to take risks, speak up and take an interest in their learning. Last year I attended a ‘Positive Schools’ Conference which reinforced my knowledge that improving student wellbeing will positively impact all other outcomes and that, in order to do so, we must nurture creativity.

Why creativity is important

Strengths and wellbeing

How do we nurture creativity?

One way in which we are encouraging girls to develop their own positive wellbeing is through the exploration of their ‘character strengths’. Students take part in a survey, designed to help inform them on which characteristics are most prominent for them. Upon completion they are given examples of things they could do to capitalise on their strengths and become more self-aware. The link below to ‘The Science of Character’ is a good start if you’re interested in finding out more about Character Strengths: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=U3nT2KDAGOc&feature= youtu.be

Educators play a crucial role in guiding the development of creativity. Our Middle School environment does this through the delivery of curriculum which is differentiated and requires critical thinking and collaboration. Pastoral, co-curricular and academic programs are designed to value imagination, give students a voice, encourage collaboration, support appropriate risk, help students develop a sense of mastery and support intrinsic motivation. Every day, I see examples of creativity in action in our Middle School. Whether it be students experimenting in the kitchen,

Creativity assists students to deal effectively with the constant change of modern life and allows them to manage complex opportunities and challenges. In preparing students for life beyond school, it ensures career-readiness and world-readiness. Creativity allows diverse opportunities for personal growth and personal expression (Educating for Creativity and Innovation, Treffinger et al 2013).

No TV or computer for a week Learn to cook something (anything!) Come up with a new game to play with the family (no props allowed) Keep a gratitude diary Write whatever comes into your head daily – to be completed every morning for ten minutes

exploring the use of different art mediums, working together to develop a Cheersports routine or performance piece, investigating an area of interest in the Year 9 Challenge Program or by coming up with a new way to present an assignment, creativity is occurring in the classroom, around our school grounds and when out on excursions and camps. By fostering an environment where creativity is nurtured we are able to ensure our girls are happy and connected to the school, their families and each other.

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SOUTHWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOL

Stuck in the middle The middle years for boys is a time of significant change, both physically and emotionally. The school environment needs to be one that understands this, whilst still challenging the students to be the best they can be. By Brett Trollope, Head of Southwood Middle School

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aybe you can remember when you went through it yourself, or you are potentially experiencing it now with a boy (or a girl) who is going through that wild old time of adolescence. It could be the hair or the music, it might be that your endeavours to engage him in conversation after school are met with unrecognisable grunts. This is a period of life where boys are looking to discover themselves away from their parents. They’re discovering the consequences for taking risks and, more importantly, what the potential rewards might be. Within the right boundaries, taking risks – both good and bad – can actually go a long way towards their development and ability to make good decisions as adults. It has been widely shown that kids who play sports are less likely to engage in negative risky behaviours. This is because they are already taking risks on the field, so they’ve checked that box, so to speak. The same can be said about school and especially an environment that encourages risk-taking like our Middle School. Being part of the debating team, singing in House Music, performing in a play, doing anything that takes boys out of their comfort zone will similarly fulfil that risk-taking drive.

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The Boys Middle School recognises these emotional and physical changes, as well as the need for guided risk taking and provides an experience that is both engaging and challenging for our boys. Our curriculum is designed to offer positive experiences through learning, whilst also being a time for the boys to try new things, to experiment and to find strengths in areas they might not previously have thought to look. It is a time for our boys to try subjects like cooking and art, as well as woodwork and 3D printing. We have opportunities to be involved in boys-only choirs as well as mixed gender groups, to participate in school plays or music competitions, or to be challenged academically in the formal classroom or in many of the wider curriculum orientated extended programs. These positive risk-taking behaviours would not be possible without a supportive staff and a key feature of our Boys Middle School is the strong emphasis placed upon our staff knowing

each boy and on the importance of fostering positive relationships with them. Our Year 7 boys are welcomed to Middle School when they first arrive and their initial journey is one focussing on the theme of discovery. This includes a successful transition into Middle School as well as understanding expectations that are on them. In Year 8 the theme is exploration. The core subjects continue with the same high standards whilst we also introduce our boys to the elective program that allows boys to explore different subject areas that may not be part of the regular curriculum. Year 9 is about Challenge and this is from both an academic sense as well as a physical sense. The extensive camp program at Year 9 helps to develop many of our Compass values such as commitment, fulfilment and independence. The curriculum is also challenging as it is designed to transition them to the Senior College. The Middle Years of schooling are about the students discovering themselves and the boys are provided with an environment that allows them to take healthy risks and to be challenged in a way that allows for the development of fine young men for the future.


SENIOR COLLEGE

“There is no security in life, only opportunity.”

Change as a certainty Students in the Senior College are encouraged to explore the concept of a career in a holistic manner, as a combination of life, learning and work. Career development is now a life-long process that is not confined to vocational or paid employment. By Heather Ruckert, Acting Head of Senior College

Top 5 career development messages Change is constant Learning is ongoing Focus on the journey Follow your heart Access your allies

HUMP DAY

Our Year 12 students celebrated “Hump Day” to mark the half way milestone for their final year at school. The day commenced with a breakfast in the Hawthorn Room and included access to a jumping castle for some light hearted fun.

WORLD VISION CONVENTION

Representatives from Year 9 and 10 attended the World Vision

– Mark Twain

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e help students to explore the challenging concept of ‘‘positive uncertainty” where they are encourage to adopt a positive attitude in the face of uncertainty whilst developing skills and characteristics that will assist them to adapt to change in the work or learning environment. Students are the self-managers of their career and this stage of their lives is just one part of their journey. With this in mind, pathway and subject options become part of shaping life beyond school. The partnership between family, student and school is significant as parents play an important role in career conversations with their child. It is evident in our Senior College that career development is more than

the pursuit of academic excellence. We aim to develop the whole child and place a high value on community service, co-curricular involvement and self-development. VCE students undertake a minimum of 15 hours community service and IB students are involved in 50 hours as part of their Creativity, Action and Service work. Opportunities such as sport, music, debating, work experience and study tour offerings all provide different dimensions to a student’s life. Feedback from universities and employers highlight the value of a diverse range of life experiences for course selection and employment prospects. These activities also help build networks and a support structure that complement the mentoring role of staff in the Senior College.

Leadership Convention to explore global issues of poverty, hunger and injustice. The day provided not only inspiration but a sense of empowerment to encourage others to take action.

VALENTINE’S DAY

In February our student’s held a Valentine’s Day fundraiser, with all proceeds going towards the Heart Foundation.

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VISUAL ART AND DESIGN

Challenging Creativity

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By Rachel Waud, Head of Visual Arts and Design

erhaps one of the most fundamental elements of education we could and should consider is the manner in which we perceive and make sense of the world in which we live. Art is vital in education as it offers students an opportunity to explore the world around them and within them, in a critical, cultural, technical, social and historical manner. The Arts assist students in developing their aesthetic knowledge and expand their imagination, to ‘wonder’ and problem solve, and lead them well into the 21st Century with a range of creative problem solving skills.

PRINTMAKING AT BALDESSIN PRESS

On 20 March Year 11 Art students spent the day with photographer and printmaker Silvi Glattauer at the Baldessin Press. Established by the late George Baldessin and his wife Tess Edwards, the press is a studio space for printmakers, sculptors, photographers and students to come and learn, work and be inspired. Together with Silvi our students were able to create a series of handmade prints generated from their own photograph.

MONA EXCURSION

Our experience at MONA definitely made everyone think, and that was the aim. Australia’s largest private art gallery, and debatably the world’s most controversial museum, MONA was full of the unexpected. You can easily Google ‘MONA’, but it won’t allow you to experience its uniquely eerie atmosphere. Carved into a tall cliffside, spiralling deep underground, MONA’s architecture is the first work of art we experienced. MONA’s intention is to evoke a reaction and to demand emotion from its visitors. From our first step into the controversial gallery, our emotions were played with. We entered a dark tomb-like enclosure exhibiting mummified skeletons, and saw inexplicable machine contraptions creating images that were impossible for our eyes to explain. Certainly for the students, our knowledge of art was stretched and challenged. By Isabella Smith, Year 12

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IB ART EXHIBITION OPENING

On 13 February, the artworks of Tintern IB Visual Art students (YG 2014) Olympia Sarris, Kaitlin Bakken, Lucinda McDonald, Naomi Wittner and Breanna Fitton were exhibited as key pieces at the opening of the International Baccalaureate Visual Arts Exhibition. The opening speaker, Michael Peck, inspired with his thought-provoking speech encompassing what it is to be an artist . Each year, a committee of IB art examiners choose artworks that represent the best of the candidate’s folios through Victoria and Tasmania.

RAW TALENT EXHIBITION

Congratulations to a number of our 2014 Year 12 students who were chosen to exhibit at the ‘Raw Talent’ exhibition in April: Eliza Wilson-Hall (Art), Lauren Merritt (Studio Art Textiles), Joshua Molino (Studio Art Photography), Caitriona Dempsey (Art). Mrs Waud (Our Head of Visual Arts and Design) opened the exhibition as a representative of Art teachers in Maroondah, alongside fellow guest speaker and Mayor of Maroondah, Cr Tony Dib. J.P.


Cabaret

PERFORMING ARTS

Arts are an integral part of every student’s education. They speak to our students’ creative spirits, encouraging them to reflect and explore new methods for personal expression and creative thinking. By Patrizia Jakovljevic, Head of Performing Arts

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s students experience the work of others they develop empathy and through collaboration, community is fostered. As their skills are developed, students learn that problems can have multiple solutions, enhancing their work across all disciplines of study. The Performing Arts are about working with others, exploring original ideas, new techniques and the world around us. With such engaging, vigorous educational experiences offered at Tintern Schools, the Performing Arts provide a consistent endeavour to challenge and foster inquiring and creative minds.

DREAMS AND DESIRES

The Year 12 Drama class examined the psychologically multifaceted themes of ‘Desire and Dreams’ at their ensemble performance. They explored the gain and loss of individual happiness, social masks and roles we take on, and how an individual absorbs the disappointments in life and continues to maintain equilibrium. The ensemble created a montage of scenes that illustrated the disturbing effects of desire on the lives of the characters. Congratulations to our students who presented an evocative and engaging delivery of fresh and original perspectives.

THIS IS NOT GOODBYE

With the theme of ‘This is Not Goodbye’, the Year 8 Performing Arts evening gave students the opportunity to showcase their work in Drama, Dance and Music for Semester 1. Drama students performed a series of small plays, dance students showcased traditional dances alongside their own choreography and music students performed a number of songs both as choirs and an original composition by Molly Fleming. It was an energetic and entertaining evening.

At Karralyka in March, the scene was set and a narrative forged. Cabaret is set in 1930s Berlin, as the city’s burst of creativity and intellectualism is giving way to the Nazis. Tintern Schools version of Cabaret combined burlesque with tragedy; humour with sadness and love with hatred. The time, energy and commitment from students and staff was worth every second. Alfred Kouris (Emcee) delivered pathos and joy, but also a sense of menace and tragedy. Zoe Stephenson (Sally Bowles) proved she has all-round, effortless, vocal talent and acting ability. Ryan Tierney (Cliff Bradshaw) presented a gentle, charm with expressive strength. The impressive performance by Ailish Hayes (Fraulein Schneider) with the affable geniality of Brendon Green (Herr Schultz) were a soulful match. Their vocal range showed strength in character portrayal and voice. Chase Young (Fraulein Kost) with her ‘sailor boys ’of Aaron Drew, Rory Shepherd and Tim Mason piqued with humorous intent. Bailey Pyman (Ernst Ludwig) was so convincingly performed that the twist in his character delivered its darkest edge. The Kit Kat girls (and boys) should be commended for their faultless performances that were matched by the chorus, whose dedication and energy was stunning! Cabaret remains an escape from the world around us but also a reminder of the darkness in it. It was a powerful and evocative production by a young and vibrant cast and crew.

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Music

“If music be the food of love, play on; give me excess of it”. – William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night.

Music in the morning, during the day and after school – it’s something many students at Tintern can’t get enough of. And, although they may not be feeding an unrequited love (such as that of Orsino in Twelfth Night), they are feeding many other social, intellectual, emotional and physical functions. By Alison Bezaire, Director of Music

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arlier this year I had the pleasure of hearing Australian researcher, Dr Anita Collins, speak on the recent burgeoning studies by neuroscientists into the many positive effects which listening to and playing music has been clinically proven to have on brain function. Collins’ doctoral study, entitled Bigger, Better Brains led to the production of an entertaining, and thought provoking TED-Ed video on her chosen topic of research. Check it out at: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-playing-aninstrument-benefits-your-brain-anita-collins. Each day we celebrate the joy of music making at Tintern – be sure to encourage your own children to be a part of that learning and joy!

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A Music Masterclass On 13 May, we were delighted to welcome Penelope Thwaites (YG60), a world renowned pianist, to the school. She conducted a piano masterclass with five students, Justin Rocio, Tony Wang, Eunice Tang, Alan Wu and myself. We performed repertoire from Mozart, Schubert and Chopin to Poulenc and Ginastera, as a number of Year 8 and 9 pianists listened and observed the masterclass. All thirteen students in the room were eager to hear the suggestions Ms Thwaites gave each performer some advice on how to improve their performance, with some even keenly taking notes! The ideas she presented allowed us to take each piece to a whole new level, and were relevant to performers and observers alike. Ms Thwaites explained certain techniques to

master fast-moving passages, improve our pedalling technique and how to produce a flowing melody line. During the masterclass, we were extremely privileged to have Ms Thwaites perform Percy Grainger’s arrangement of ‘Shepherd’s Hey’ for us, a lively piece which used a variety of challenging techniques, all at a very fast pace. Each of us sat openmouthed, watching as Ms Thwaites’ fingers glided over the fingerboard with such ease. We were truly amazed by both her performance, and the valuable suggestions for our practice. Each of us felt extremely honoured to have spent the morning with her and we look forward to welcoming her back to Tintern soon. By Alison Yang, School Pianist 2015

ALISON AWARDED TOP MUSIC PRIZE

Alison Yang, our School Pianist, has been awarded the prestigious Elizabeth Stainkamph Memorial Prize 2014 by the Australian Music Examinations Board. This award was presented on Tuesday 17 March to the student in Victoria who achieves the best combined result in Fifth Grade Music Theory and Eighth Grade Pianoforte examinations conducted in any given year. Alison received her award at the annual Conferring of Diplomas Ceremony at the University of Melbourne. We would also like to acknowledge Alison’s teacher, Mrs Barbara Clementson, Head of Keyboard Studies. Alison is the second Tintern student to receive this award under Barbara’s tutorship.


MUSIC AWARD RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED

Jazz Night had the CM Wood Centre jumping The Annual Friends of Music Jazz Night was held on 16 May. A night that everyone looks forward to, it comprises great people, atmosphere and dancing, and most importantly, magnificent music. This year the theme was New Orleans, with many people making the most of the chance to dress up. The night starred many of the school’s music ensembles: The Jazz Band, Swung and Dixieland Choirs and other smaller Jazz combos. We were lucky enough to have The New Melbourne Jazz Band entertain us on multiple occasions throughout the night. While they filled the hall

with their toe-tapping music, the audience joined the fun on the dance floor. The tables were filled with students, teachers, parents, friends and families, all coming together for an extraordinary event. Every year the Friends of Music put together an amazing night, providing everyone with a memorable time. The music was a great display of our music students’ and staff talents. Whether people came for the music, the dancing, the people or a great night overall, they were not disappointed and had a most enjoyable night. By Matthew Wakeley, Instrumental Captain 2015

Every year Tintern Schools is pleased to be able to offer students at the school the opportunity to audition for a range of music scholarships. The Ilma Kelson Music Scholar Awards are named in honour of Mrs Ilma Kelson, a former Music Director at Tintern. In their twelth year this year, the Kelson Family have endowed annual encouragement scholarships to be awarded to students in pursuit of musical excellence. We were pleased to welcome Mr Michael Kelson and his wife, Mrs Lyn Kelson, to Tintern on Friday 12 June to present this year’s awards to the following recipients.

Kelson Scholar Award

OUTSTANDING SENIOR PERFORMER Tiana McAsey (Flute), Year 10 MUSIC CAPTAINS Zoe Zhang (Flute), Year 12 Matthew Wakeley (Guitar), Year 12 ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD FOR DESIRABLE INSTRUMENT James Manson (Bassoon), Year 6 Charlotte Menagh (Clarinet), Year 9 Maya Watt (Trombone), Year 10

Penelope Thwaites Award

Ron Trigg Jazz Musician Awartod

st go Congratulations mu being the Matthew Wakeley on of the Ron deser ving recipient Award Trigg Jazz Musician this year!

OUTSTANDING JUNIOR SCHOOL PERFORMER Sarah Chen (Piano), Year 6 SCHOOL PIANIST Alison Yang (Piano), Year 10 CHORAL CAPTAIN Ailish Hayes (Voice), Year 12 PERFORMANCE OF AUSTRALIAN COMPOSITION Ron Chen (Piano), Year 8 ORIGINAL COMPOSITION Molly Fleming (Piano Solo), Year 8

PAST STUDENT TAKES A LEADING ROLE

Caitlin Spears (YG 2011) will be one of three female performers taking a lead role in a new Australian opera, ‘Women in War’. ‘Women in War’ is part of the Lemnos-Gallipoli Project, which is a trans-national collaboration of artists and cultural actors from Australia, Turkey, Greece and Cyprus. The contemporary opera, with music composed by Australian composer, Tassos Ioannides, aims to recognise the contribution of women in the Gallipoli campaign. Catie will travel to Greece with the Australian cast for intensive preparation and rehearsal for the premiere on 17 July in Lemnos, Greece, which then opens at the Victorian Arts Centre Playhouse on 30 July.

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Sport

Semester 1 has seen students engaged in a host of sporting opportunities at both House and Interschool level. House Athletics and Cross Country carnivals have been held and students have competed with great success in EISM Swimming, Athletics and Summer Sport. By Ross Jurey, Head of Sport

HOUSE ATHLETICs CARNIVAL

MIDDLE SCHOOL HOUSE COMPETITIONS

A range of House sporting competitions have taken place across Middle School during this past semester and there has been a keen rivalry across all levels. Year 7

INDIVIDUAL YEAR LEVEL CHAMPIONS Our House Athletics day was blessed with a beautiful sunny day in February with students enjoying an action packed carnival. A mix of traditional and novelty events ensured a high level of participation for all our students. The race for House honours was close with only a few points separating Houses. In the end, Somner/Stewart prevailed!

INDIVIDUAL PLACINGS (1st) Level

BOYS

GIRLS

Year 7

Corey Dickson

Tara Carson

Year 8

Vishnu Pillay

Sophie Cookes

Year 9

Joel Williams

Jess Reid

Year 10 Caleb Fitzpatrick Kirsty Clark

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Year 11 Gary Haasbroek

Maddy Button

Year 12 Brendon Green

Erin Jones

Level

BOYS

GIRLS

Year 7

Alex Jenkin

Tess Power

Year 8

Matt Evans

Jasmin Amiet

Year 9

Joel Williams

Chloe Eckley

Year 10

Tom Edwards Caleb Fitzpatrick

Kirsty Clark Holly Eckley Grace Power

Year 11

Gary Haasbroek

Anjali Lobo

Year 12

Brendon Green

Erin Jones

Girls Volleyball

Somner

Girls Soccer

Somner

Girls Cheersports

Mansfield

Boys Soccer

Stewart

Boys Basketball

Butterss

Boys Football

Dann

Year 8/9 Mixed Yr 8/9 Bowling Butterss/Cross Mixed Yr 8 Bowling

Somner/Stewart

Girls Yr 9 Basketball

Mansfield

Boys Yr 8/9 Basketball Butterss Year 10 Mixed Volleyball

Mansfield/McKie

HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY

Our Middle School House Cross Country was held late April. Competition was keen and the day concluded with a barbeque, presentations and draws for lucky finishing spot prizes for all who completed the course. Our Senior College students competed on a course utilising the Tintern Farm, school grounds and sporting fields. The ‘farm hill’ was a difficult hazard to negotiate, however, all students managed to make it to the finish line for a well-earned lunch. MIDDLE SCHOOL Dann/Watt

SENIOR COLLEGE Gordon/Grant

OVERALL Gordon/Grant


eism sport

EISM SWIMMING CARNIVAL

Tintern Schools competed on 4 March at MSAC in the EISM Division 1 Swimming Carnival. We achieved a fantastic result of fourth place overall with some great individual as well as relay results – with Tintern U15 girls taking out the 200m medley relay and 200m freestyle relay in record breaking times and the U16 girls winning the 200m medley relay. A number of students went on to compete at the Champions Carnival on 23 March and again our U15 girls and U16 girls each won the 200m medley relay, the U15 girls set a new record in the 200m freestyle relay and a number of students won medals, including Ella Donoghue, Joel Pearce-Schmidt, Rosemary Addison, Jade Hutchinson, Erin Doupe, Augustus Lever, Sophie Paul and Daniella Cosentino.

EISM ATHLETICS

Having won the EISM Division 3 Athletics, thirty-five of our best athletes pitted their skills against the best from all divisions at the EISM Athletics Champions Meet on Monday 11 May. Tintern Schools students achieved amazing results with 8 Gold, 12 Silver and 8 Bronze medals across their 45 events. Gary Haasbroek added one centimetre to his EISM High Jump record and set a new record for the U/16 Triple Jump. In addition to Gary, Anjali Lobo, Brendon Green, Kirsty Clark, Lorna Clark, Matthew Xu and our U/16 Girls Relay excelled on the night.

EISM PREMIERSHIPS

On Wednesday 18 March our Senior Girls A and B Tennis teams played in the EISM Grand Final. Both teams played well throughout the season and finished on top of the ladder. The A team came from behind in their first two matches to snatch the victory and the B team played solidly throughout all their matches and were also victorious. Our Senior Girls indoor cricket team defeated Aquinas, who were favourites, in the grand final 128-65 to take out the premiership. Our Year 9 boys tennis B team made it to the grand final but were defeated by St Josephs. Congratulations to Year 8 girls netball A and B teams and tennis A team which all finished on top of the ladder undefeated.

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News Commissioning Service of Mr Bradley Fry On 21 April Tintern Schools commissioned our tenth Principal, Mr Bradley Fry

TOUCHING DOWN AT TINTERN

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he service was conducted by the Most Reverend Dr Philip Freier, Archbishop of Melbourne and Primate of Australia, in front of a packed audience. The official party entered to a fanfare from our Brass Ensemble, and our School Captains Alfred Kouris and Rachael Sheehan read the acknowledgement of country and welcomed guests. Chloe Eckley and Tim Mason read Colossians 3.12-17 before Archbishop Freier gave his reflection. Zoe Stephenson lead the community as we sung ‘Those called to lead God’s people’ before Mr Fry was presented to the Archbishop for commissioning. Mrs Fiona Bonnyman and Mr Steven Lo represented the staff by declaring their support of Mr Fry and his leadership. A number of welcome gifts were presented; Ms Fiona Blackmore presented a Compass on behalf of the Board, Miss Lauren Ray presented the Mitre on behalf of the staff, Tara McAsey and Jack Read presented a book of Wordsworth poems, Matthew Anderson and Holly Whitfield presented a football and Alana Lawson and James Manson presented a ukulele. Loraine Allender and Amanda McKenzie welcomed his family by presenting Dr Rosie Anderson with flowers. With Mr Bradley Fry officially commissioned as our tenth Principal, our Chamber Choir then performed the school psalm for the whole community. Following the commissioning, the community gathered for a morning tea and to congratulate our new Principal on his appointment being made official. It was a historic occasion and one that no doubt everyone in attendance will remember.

Our Junior Schools were visited by the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter in March this year. “The helicopter was flying high and ready to land. The sound of the blades chopping was one of the loudest things we’ve heard. Then the sound slowly died down. Next the pilot and other crew members got out with a surprisingly long procedure,” said Matt Anderson and James Manson. “The lifesavers shared their experiences of previous missions and outlined the Westpac Helicopter Lifesaving Patrol system. We learnt about the history of this service, and how it has been going for an impressive 40 years. It was reassuring to discover that in emergencies, a range of different equipment is available to keep the crew and patients safe including the helicopter worth $3-million,” said Alana Lawson and Holly Whitfield.

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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Some hallmarks of Tintern girls are their confidence, courage, independence, sense of social justice and caring nature. To celebrate International Women’s Day this year we acknowledged and celebrated the achievements of ordinary and extraordinary women and men to achieve equality. Students were given and proudly wore three ribbons: purple, white and green represent purity, self-

MAROONDAH YOUTH AWARDS

As part of National Youth Week, a number of Tintern students were recognised at the Maroondah Youth Awards, held on Thursday 16 April. These awards celebrate and recognise achievements of young people aged 12-25 in Maroondah, nominated by community members, schools and organisations.

Congratulations to:

ALISON YANG – Arts Award ELLA WATT – Arts Award ELIZA ALLEN – Personal Journey Award and Super Citizen Award SARA ARIF – Personal Journey Award TIMOTHY MASON (pictured below) – Personal Journey Award KATE SWAIN – Young Leader Award TARA McASEY – Super Citizen Award HARRY DETTMANN, LOUISE SMITH, MADDY BUTTON AND SHOBANA SATKUNARAJAH – all were awarded Super Citizen Awards for their efforts in helping a visually impaired lady and her guide dog off the railway tracks. Congratulations to all those who were nominated.

respect and hope. Meg Swain of Year 10 spoke passionately as she gave a young person’s perspective on equality. She spoke about some inspiring women, the role models we all have to look up to and she encouraged students to celebrate the positive women in their own lives. Our girls are very privileged to be in a time and environment where education is valued and the opportunities given to them are based

INDOOR CRICKET CHAMP

Madeleine Wright was selected in the Victorian Indoor Cricket U18 and U20 teams to compete in the Australian Championships in July. Her performance has led to her being selected in the U17 Australian girls team for the WICF World Series in September.

CRICKETING CRUSADER

Tom Edwards in Year 10 toured the UK with the Crusaders team in July. Tom is trained at the MCG with the U17 years Crusaders Outright Squad to prepare for the tour. While on tour he had the opportunity to train with the Australian team at Lord’s as they prepare for the Ashes series of test matches, play matches against other UK development squads plus some mixed age games with St Andrews University and the Royal Household cricket team at Windsor Castle.

EXCELLING IN EQUESTRIAN

Eliza Harvey in Year 10 recently won the Interschool section at the Ballarat International Horse Trials. The competition involved a range of components, including dressage, show jumping and cross country over two days. Eliza is hoping to go on to represent Tintern Schools at the national competition in September.

REPRESENTING VICTORIA

Corey Robinson in Year 11 was selected to compete as a member of ‘Team VIC’ in the Australian Junior Track and Field Championships in March

on their own passions and interests. Our Junior School girls had the opportunity to hear from past Tintern Schools Captain, Gemma Ritchie (YG2007) and her work since graduating. Gemma has trained as a teacher in special education and has worked in Peru in an orphanage. She is currently in India working in an orphanage to teach and work with students who are disabled and have special needs.

in Sydney. Corey finished in eleventh place and he should be most proud of his 58.66 seconds personal best performance at this national event.

PERFORMING IN THE PHILLIPINES

Paige Anderson in Year 6 has successfully auditioned for a place in a tour to the Philippines with selected students of En Pointe School of Ballet. She will participate in the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet’s (ACB) 25 Anniversary Gala. This once in a lifetime opportunity will connect her with ACB students globally and she will attend masterclass workshops before performing alongside professional ballerinas in the Gala.

THE KING AND TINTERN

Eliza Mignot in Year 10 and Fintan McCrave in Year 7 recently performed in Babirra Music Theatre’s production of ‘The King and I’. Eliza had a role as one of the Royal Wives, which included a major dance solo, and Fintan performed as one of the royal children. Both made a huge time commitment to the production outside of school hours.

THE ROAD TO SUCCESS

Adam Blazevic in Year 10 has had an incredibly successful year in cycling. He recently placed third in the Australian 2015 MTB XC Marathon Championship, making him one of the top mountain bikers in Australia for his age group. He and his partner won the Forrest six-hour mountain biking event, with Adam taking out the fastest lap time overall. Later in the year Adam will compete at the CycloCross (CX) National Championships. He has also been placed on Mountain Bike Australia’s U17 development squad.

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News

Commemorating Anzac Day As the country paused on 25 April to mark the Anzac centenary, we remember those who have served or sacrificed their lives for our country. Tintern has a long and proud history, spanning 138 years. It is not surprising then that our school has been touched by war.

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ith such an extensive historical archive, we are able to take a look back and see what day-to-day school life was like during the war and what our students were feeling. Additionally, as Tintern was originally founded as a co-educational school we have a number of old girls and old boys who served in the war. To support those at the front, the girls would

spend their free time knitting, organising and attending dances, performing at concerts and selling lollies and flowers. Much like our students today, the Tintern girls during war years did all that they could to help others and the community rallied around those who had lost loved ones. The following poem was written by Miss Zoe Macrow and appeared in the December 1915 edition of The Brook:

Australia Mourns Her Sons

Sleep on, beloved, sleep, While the spirit of Egypt shall stand, Guardian the graves of the fallen braves, Who’ve died for their mother land. Sleep on, beloved, sleep, And peace be to thy soul; For thy name shall sound o’er the whole world round, When they’re calling the honour roll. Sleep on, beloved, sleep, For thy fight was nobly done; And Australia shall stand with outspread hands, Mourning her fallen son. Sleep on, beloved, sleep, While the battle is raging by. For this noble cause, o’er British shores. Shall men live and fight and die. Sleep on, beloved, sleep, And the desert shall pillow thy head. While there comes a call to Australian all, To come and avenge their dead.

Inevitably in the war years… it was no longer possible to keep the outside world outside. Tintern girls and old girls suffered no less than other sections of the community, from the loss of fathers, brothers, fiance’s and friends and from the nagging anxiety of what the next casualty list from Gallipoli or France might disclose. Much time was spent in knitting; and from time to time stalls, and once a Tintern Village Fair were arranged to raise money for patriotic causes.” – Tintern School and Anglican Girls’ Education – 1877-1977 by Lyndsay Gardiner

ROBOTICS IN THE CLASSROOM

2015 HORSE TRIALS

On 25-26 April, Tintern hosted its fifteenth Annual Victorian Inter-School Horse Trials Championship. The event was held at Wandin Park, owned by John and Angela Anker (past parents). Over 90 schools and 280 riders between the ages of 8-18 participated. Riders compete individually and in teams of four in Dressage, Show Jumping and Cross Country. The event commenced with an ANZAC Day service on the Hill. Special thanks to our very own Father Taplin and Simon Wincer (Movie Director of ‘The Lighthorsemen’ and past Tintern parent) who conducted the service. The competition commenced with riders performing their Dressage movements. Saturday afternoon saw the

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Grade 5 and Grade 4 riders tackling the Cross Country course which consisted of 14 jumps with names such as Thomas the Tank, the yellow peril and sand boxes covered with apples! The Grade 3 riders undertook a show jumping course. On Saturday night the riders relaxed, enjoying dinner, followed by a Disco. Day two began with drizzle but it didn’t stop the eager riders ready to take their turn at Cross Country and Show Jumping. Grade 1, 2 and 3 riders braved the Cross Country course and Grades 5, 4, 2, and 1 completed the Show Jumping. Flinders CCC B team took out the annual trophy with Tintern Navy team a creditable fifteenth in this challenging team event. By Sandy Garland, FOE Event Secretary and Gabby Pope FOE Member

As part of their studies in Year 7 Information and Communications Technology, students learn to build and program Lego robots using Mindstorms software. They undertake a number of programming challenges including navigating the robot around various shapes as well as investigating the use of sensors. Sensors allow the robots to judge distance, sound and perform edge detection and line tracing. In Year 9 ICT, students have the opportunity to build more sophisticated robots and these have included remote controlled cars via Bluetooth with full steering and throttle control. Students enjoy the challenges associated with solving these programming problems and often do so in unique and imaginative ways.


Cathedral Service

The Tintern Schools community gathered at St. Paul’s Cathedral in the humid summer heat on 22 February to celebrate the annual Cathedral Service. The theme of ‘We are here for the journey on’ was explored and spoken to by Reverend Andrew Stewart, during his sermon. Students also brought their lovely music and voices into the church, as we enjoyed performances by a range of choirs from both the Middle Schools and Senior College and the warmth of the Chamber Strings filling every corner of the Cathedral in joyous celebration. Each year, the school leaders select a charity to support and this year the school supported The Smith Family. This wonderful organisation provides benefits for Australian children who may be suffering and growing up under difficult conditions. By donating money to this organisation during our collection, our community gave generously to those less fortunate than us. The 2015 leadership team also displayed commitment and dedication by guiding the school and students in worship and into the year ahead. Overall, the Cathedral Service was a fantastic event and a wonderful way to start our new school year, as we joined together for the journey on. By Zoe Zhang, Instrumental Captain

A SUMMER AT SCHOOL

Four Tintern students spent a week at the Victorian College of the Arts making fabulous music at the Melbourne Youth Music 2015 Summer School. Brendon Green (Year 12 Guitar), Zoe Zhang (Year 12 Flute) Tiana McAsey (Year 10 Flute) and Tara McAsey (Year 9 Cello) joined with 620 participants from as far away as Alice Springs and New Caledonia to warm up together, learn together and, finally, perform at a showcase concert. “Tara, on cello, was in the Chamber Strings, which consisted of 100 string players. The conductor was Ben Castle who focussed on memorising music. The musicians had to memorise a piece, which was performed in the dark. Everyone in the ensemble had little lights on their hands so everyone could see each other and work together to keep in time. Tiana was in the Philharmonic Orchestra, as was Zoe Zhang, where new repertoire was learnt in the flute section. The conductor, Michael, switched

the sections so that different sections had the opportunity to hear instruments and their parts. He also taught us about leadership in our individual sections and in the orchestra as a whole. Overall, we both had a really enjoyable time playing music and meeting new people. The instrumental tutors and the conductors made the camp really fun. Every year at music summer school we learn something new and we recommend this camp for any musician,” say Tiana and Tara McAsey.

LOOKING TO HORIZONS

Nurturing the talents of the individual is a key focus at Tintern Schools. Bright students need instruction and development to expand their minds and encourage motivation. Excellence does not just happen. In order for a student to reach their potential, a combination of factors are required. In 2000, Gagne developed a widely acclaimed model of giftedness which clearly describes that students need the means to learn, including the people (teachers, parents, mentors), provisions (programs, materials and activities), events (encounters, awards) and an element of motivation, to reach high standards. At Tintern, developing our students happens inside the classroom through challenging and differentiated curriculum, but also through our Horizon program which offers extension opportunities beyond the classroom. Horizon is flexible, catering to the needs of the individual. These opportunities occur right across the curriculum and whilst some students receive extension in all areas, the program allows us the flexibility to assist students in areas where they are talented, but assist them in others where they are not as naturally gifted. Students have access to curriculum based opportunities in all subjects. Additionally, they can participate in a range of competitions and events such as Tournament of Minds, da Vinci Decathlon, short story workshops and CREST projects – to name just a few. “I like Horizon because we can be challenged outside classes and use different knowledge to that which is needed in class. Horizon expands our opportunities,” says Arshi Mohammed. The Horizon’s program is as diverse as the needs of the students it works with. By Anthea Watkins, Horizon Co-ordinator

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Developing

21 Century st

T

learners

By Oriana Constable, Head of Tintern Middle School and Girls Education

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We assist students to develop their responsibility, independence and planning skills through academic and pastoral programs. Involvement in camp programs, opportunities for project based work and co-curricular activities – with a focus on nurturing creativity, entrepreneurship and self-reliance, helps to prepare students for a world in which they may have to revise their skills regularly. Simply knowing content is no longer enough. Young people must be empowered to negotiate risk and make brave choices. We have shifted to student-centred education, where the teacher is a facilitator in helping students to know what is relevant, how to learn and develop knowledge. To assist this, our classrooms have been developed to ensure spaces are flexible. Students have the freedom to work in small groups and iPads from Prep to Year 9 means that students are not stuck in a fixed position, plugged into a wall. In educating for tomorrow’s world, one which is difficult to predict, we are encouraging students to learn and understand what we value from our past, respond to demands of the present and prepare for the future‌. whatever that may look like.

We are educating students today to solve problems in the future that do not yet exist. The ability to communicate, collaborate and problem solve are skills that students require as they enter the workforce. Critical thinking, problem solving, reasoning, analysis, interpretation, synthesising information Research skills and practices, interrogative questioning Creativity, artistry, curiosity, imagination, innovation, personal expression Perseverance, self-direction, planning, self-discipline, adaptability, initiative Oral and written communication, public speaking and presenting, listening Leadership, teamwork, collaboration, co-operation, virtual workspaces Information and communication technology (ITC) literacy, media and internet literacy, visual interpretation, data interpretation and analysis, computer programming Civic, ethical, and social-justice literacy Economic and financial literacy, entrepreneurialism Global awareness, multicultural literacy, humanitarianism Scientific literacy and reasoning, the scientific method Environmental and conservation literacy, ecosystems understanding Health and wellness literacy, including nutrition, diet, exercise, and public health and safety.

http://edglossary.org/21st-century-skills/

he world is changing faster now than at any time in human history. The internet has resulted in a global youth culture, one that is rapidly changing. Social and economic changes over the last 20 years have had far-reaching implications for education. Digital technologies have enhanced our capacity to access information and have created the expectation that individuals will adapt to use new forms of technology quickly. As our students leave school they will need skills to be flexible in the workplace. On top of educating students, schools are also responsible for the spiritual, moral and physical development of young people. To assist our students with these vital skills we have our Learner Profile and Compass which support the development of communication, socialisation and collaboration skills, digital literacy, critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and imagination. These are imperative skills as students move from school and into the workplace as we are educating them to take up jobs that do not yet exist. The Compass is the moral guidance that directs our students each day and enables them to become grounded young people. The Learner Profile provides the framework towards developing 21st Century skills.

What are 21st Century Learning skills?


1969

Community

1990 1995

1959 1974

2000 REUNIONS

1985

1964

Together Again Each year Tintern holds a number of reunions to allow our students to reconnect. In October last year reunions were held for 2004, 1974, 1969, 1964, 1959 and 1954 graduates. This year in March 1995 and 2000 graduates came together again, and in June 1990, 1985 and 1980 graduates caught up. After leaving school life zoomed on and in between three marriages and four children, I didn’t really think about my teenage years as a student at Tintern. This year was our 35th year reunion. Feeling more like an old croc than an old girl, I looked forward to seeing old friends again. We were escorted around the grounds by students and visiting the farm noted

1980 1995

it had hardly changed except for the new houses. The milking shed is still there, the pine forest gone and boarding house closed, where I once spent an enjoyable term without my parents hassling me! It was so nice to see that the school has males now. We only had Yarra Valley males and the distance, prohibition and fences just made them all more enticing! The new buildings are amazing and the

bush gardens remain and give the school its rural feel. Over lunch we talked about old times and new. The funny thing is that even if we weren’t in the same friendship groups at school, there seemed to be some kind of bond between us. So much so that we aim to meet more regularly and friendships have been re-established on the wide world web. By Kate Shone (Dudley) (YG80)

FACTIS / 27


Community BIRTHS

Kate Cherry

Simone Hodgens

MARRIAGES KATE CHERRY (YG05) married Scott Buchanan on 14 March 2015 at the beautiful RACV County Club in Healesville. Kate had her two best friends, past Tinternites by her side Kaitlyn Breitkreuz (YG2005) and Katrina Turvey (YG2005). Along with the bridesmaids, more past Tinternites attended the wedding as guests: Laura Ardley (YG2005), Sarah Stewart (YG2005), Kate Gannoni (YG2005) and Alex Gannoni (not pictured). It was the most perfect day for Kate and Scott. Kate even met her husband through a past Tintern student! SIMONE HODGENS (Caylock) (YG93) married Geoff Hodgens on 17 January 2015 in a garden ceremony at their home in Glen Iris, followed by a reception in the Grand Ballroom at The Royce Hotel. They were married by Geoff’s brother and their bridal party consisted of Geoff’s three children and close friends of Simone from secondary school days. JOANNA WHEATON (YG04) married Matthew French on 20 March 2015 at Yering Station, Yarra Valley. Her sister Claire (YG2007) was one of her five bridesmaids. The couple have recently purchased their first home on the Moonah Links golf course on the Mornington Peninsula. Joanna has started her own successful lipstick range, Shanghai Suzy. On her wedding day she wore Mrs French, a special shade of lipstick she created for the occasion and each female guest received one. NICOLA SMITH (YG96) married Giles Babich earlier in 2015 in Sydney, where they live. STACEY LEVY (YG03) married Scott Hester on 28 March at The National Golf Course. Her bridesmaids were sisters Tara Wallis (Levy) (YG98), Jenna Levy (YG04) and Katherine Brosolo (Levy) (YG01). Scott and Stacey were well supported by family and friends, with a number of Tintern graduates in attendance. Scott and Stacey announced on the day that they are expecting their first child.

28 / FACTIS

Joanna Wheaton

KIM MAXWELL (Kennedy) (YG2002) and her husband Brett welcomed a little girl, Hayley Elizabeth Maxwell, into the world on 28 June 2014. SARAH JANE YOUNG (Montgomery) (YG2004) and her husband Richard welcomed a tiny Tinternite on 7 May 2015. ANITA MOODY (Connor) (YG98) and husband Jonathon are delighted to announce the arrival of their second child, Oliver Robert Moody. “Ovilar”, as his big bother Harrison (nearly 3 years old) calls him, was born on 16 March 2015 weighing in at 8lb. His grandparents, long serving staff members Maria and Geoff Connor, report that Oliver is an absolute delight who already seems to be doing his best to both make conversation and join in on all the action with Harrison. SOPHIE FUNSLOW (Martin) (YG98) and husband Troy were thrilled to welcome their first child, Thomas Martin Funslow on 19 December 2013. Tom is growing into a delightful (and cheeky) little boy who already has a keen love of music and is full of smiles! Oliver Moody

Stacey Levy

Thomas Funslow


DEATHS

Past Students

JUNE RICHARDSON (Davey) (YG49) died peacefully on 14 February 2012. She is remembered by her children Heather Read (YG83), David and Thomas. RUTH GILLAM (YG48) passed away on 3 April 2013. WILMA DIAMOND (Shoebridge) (YG42) passed away on 30 November 2013. JAN BILLING (Chipperfield) (YG53) passed away on 11 January 2014. MARJORY POYNTER (Woolford) (YG41) passed away on 16 January 2014. GILLIAN JOHNSON (Muir) (YG66) passed away on 7 June 2014. Sister of Iris Speare (YG64). AUDREY HAUGHTON (Gourlay) (YG44) passed away on 18 August 2014. Sister of June Burnside (YG41) and Patricia (Dec’d) (YG47). Our condolences to her children Gary, Robyn Machin (YG72) and Andrew and her grandchildren. School friends Diana Bassett– Smith (Grant) (YG46) and Dawn Lindgren (Frey) (YG45) attended her funeral. PAMELA SIMMONS (Byam-Wight) (YG49) passed away on 15 September 2014. VALERIE THOMAS (McCance) (YG49) passed away in November 2010. HELEN JESKE (Sandford) (YG57) passed away 28 November 2014. Greatly loved wife of Jürgen for 45 years, mother of Sascha (YG93) and Juri, loyal mother-in-law of Mohamed and Kerryn, and grandmother of Talal, Amir, Peta and Imilia. MAVIS ROBERTSON (Moten) (YG46) passed away 17 February 2015. Mavis was a driver of economic justice, civil and political rights and security initiatives in Australia. Mavis is known for her leadership in superannuation over three decades. She created one of Australia’s largest industry superannuation funds and sustained a phenomenal breadth

of mentoring and support to women across industry. She founded Women in Super and was an architect of Australia’s superannuation system. Mavis was the co-founder of the Mother’s Day Classic run and was also a foundation member of EMILY’s List which drive’s women’s increased representation in parliament. She became a member of the Order of Australia in 1994. JUDY THOMSON (Bremner) (YG53) passed away on 7 December 2014. VICTORIA JONES (Yates) (YG74) passed away on 16 May 2015. She will be sadly missed by her parents John and Margaret Yates and her 4 younger sisters, Jenny Humphrey (YG77), Julie Love (YG80), Catherine Arena (YG82) and Belinda Guns (YG88). JOAN GARDNER (YG36) passed away in November 2013. She graduated from the University of Melbourne with a BSc and MSc in microbiology. She gained her PhD from the Dunn School of Pathology at Oxford University for research into antimicrobial agents. She was appointed lecturer in the department of bacteriology at the University of Melbourne. Sterilisation, disinfection and infection control were the major areas of her teaching and research. She was made an officer of the Order of Australia in 1992. MARGOT LAWTON (Esperson) (YG42) passed away on 25 June 2012. MARLENE CASTRIQUE (Purser) (YG50) passed away on 22 May 2015. VIOLET MARSHMAN (Read) (YG34) passed away on 27 May 2014. BEVERLEY FREY (Parsons) (YG45) passed away on 1 November 2013. Loving sister of Nita Fawcett (YG48). MARJORIE GAWLER (Noonan) (YG38) passed away on 3 February 2014. ELEANOR TALWAR (MacEwan) (YG49) passed away on 25 September 2013. Sister of Janet MacEwan (YG53) (dec) and Margaret McEwan (YG51) (dec).

Emma B Cook Heritage Collection and Archive Establishing and organising the Tintern Archives has been an engaging activity for the many past students who volunteer. Many interesting and historic items of memorabilia, including photos and uniforms, have been donated and the details of these items need to be recorded before they are safely stored. Many photos lie in boxes waiting to be sorted, named and filed. Unfortunately so many of the photos are not dated or named

and it is only through the help of others that we are able to capture and record their history. It has made us all realise how important it is to record the details on our own photos! One of the positive outcomes of maintaining the Archives has been responding to the requests for information about family members who attended Tintern. We recently received a request for information on the Gosman family and our

Staff Members

MARJORIE WALKER passed away on 28 January 2015. Marjorie was a member of the Administrative staff from 1978-84. BETTY BUXTON passed away on 17 June 2015. She was Head of Junior School from 1943-46, before marrying David Buxton. She returned in 1954 as Head of Junior School, a position she held on and off until 1977. Betty was part of TOGA on the Peninsula and an honorary life member of TOGA. Her daughters Kay Blackmore (YG66) and Susan Jones (YG67) attended Tintern. JENNY REED passed away on 14 May 2015. She joined Tintern in 2011 as Head of Curriculum Support where she made a significant contribution to the education of students in her care. Her daughter Amanda Reed (YG93) attended Tintern. BETTY WATSON passed away on 11 July 2015. Betty joined Tintern in 1966 and retired in 1986. She was appointed to the school to teach maths at Years 7 and 8, along with science, geography and ‘nursing arithmetic’ to Year 10 . She is best remembered for her role as Head of Junior and Middle School, where she is credited for the first separate Prep class and the creation of the central library.

Community Members

Our condolences go to: YVONNE SHAW (Bernadou) (YG55) on the death of her husband Ian on 9 January 2015. Brother in law to Pam McCartney (Bernadou) (YG51) and Lynne Franke (Bernadou) (YG58), uncle of Libby Franke (YG90) and Suzie Franke (YG96). SANDRA BELL (Thom) (YG58) on the death of her husband Richard in January 2015. IRENE DAY on the death of her husband Alan Day on 16 May 2015. SARAH NEEDHAM (YG11) on the death of her father Colin Needham on 15 June 2015.

If yo research has shown would u like to consi that Ruth, Jean, Enid d er v olunt o r eerin d o and Elaine Gosman g archi nating to our v e s , pl e attended Tintern as Comm unit y e contact from 1910 – 1916. This on 98 Relations 4 5 78 1914 photo of students 93 . and staff outside the front of the school in Glenferrie Road and includes Ruth, Elaine and Enid Gosman. By Lynne Franke (YG58)

FACTIS / 29


Community PAST STUDENTS

MATT GILLING WINS ROCK2RAMP CHALLENGE Matt Gilling (YG14) won the Anglesea 2.5km Rock2Ramp Ocean Swim on 30 December 2014.

OUR WORLD CHAMPION

llroom Strictly Ba

In January 2015 Scott James (YG13) was crowned World Champion for half2011) cey (YG pipe snowboarding in Kreischberg, a L s a Stric tly T hom rring in . a t Austria. He was named joint s ly t h e a tr e c u r re n sty’s T is je a M Snowsports Athlete of the Year in er 00 m, at H 2015, 1 Ballroo b ru a r y e April. Scotty came back to school F nity u 8 m y Su nda rn Co m n e t O . in T in May to speak with our boys f th e n s ta g e bers o ch TJ o m t e a w m e o about his journey at assembly. rt k tim o g e th e , TJ too c ame t ma n c e r fo t th e r u e o p ns ab io e r th e t t s f e A u EMMA PURCELL rq ith a n s we otos w out to take ph Emma Purcell (YG14) has been d n a s h ow up. accepted into the Australian Defence the gro Force Academy where she will complete her military training alongside I have achieved things I could never her degree. “The first six weeks at imagined possible. I love my training and ADFA were filled with drills, military Defence family and am excited about communication and law, weapons the career path that lays ahead. I urge training, and PT. We were transformed anyone who has considered a career in into members of the Australian Defence Defence to learn more because it truly is Force. I began to appreciate my family an incredible lifestyle.” and the supportive environment created at Tintern. At the conclusion of FIRST FEMALE MEMBER training friends and family were invited FOR EASTERN REGIONS to celebrate the Chief of Defence Harriet Shing (YG94) was elected to the Force Parade where marching in our Victorian Upper House in November full uniform for the first time was our 2014, the first female member proudest moment yet. elected to represent the I am studying an Arts degree Eastern Regions. She has through the UNSW previously worked as a and I hope to go on senior policy adviser, to the Royal Military lawyer and industrial College Duntroon relations specialist in to complete the Victorian private, Officer public and not-fortraining. In only profit sectors. six months

SOBA CORNER

Women of Influence 2015 By Carol Robertson, TOGA President

THE WHIRL

Jane Cornwell (YG79) has released her memoir ‘The Whirl’. She is based in London as a journalist and music critic and her memoir tells her tales of travelling the world in search of love, music and stories.

PAST STUDENT WINS MAJOR ART PRIZE

Louise Hearman (YG81) has won the Doug Moran Portrait Prize with two paintings of her partner, renowned Australian photographer Bill Henson.

YVETTE WILLIAMS

Yvette Williams (YG91) completed a PhD looking at grazing behaviour and digestion in dairy cows. She took up a position managing a research experiment at Narrogin, then to CSIRO to develop sheep vaccines. After a stint with DairyNZ she married in 2008 and settled into life in Tatura with a research position in Kyabram. Two kids in two years followed, and she now enjoys being a part-time scientist and full-time mother.

Once again TOGA held its AGM within a networking session, where we heard from Senator Bridget McKenzie and Professor Melissa Southey. We are privileged to have such wonderful past students prepared to come back to the school and share their journey. TOGA strives for the connection of past students and we will continue to On 9 September focus on how we can increase networking and mentoring. We have already begun discussions on special 2014 a number of interest groups that could be formed, including TOGA in Property/Finance and a TOGA Choir. Southwood Old Boys Our TOGA Golfers meet regularly and in April competed in the 86th Women’s Inter-school joined together for the Golf Challenge Cup. If you are interested in joining us for a round, the next Inter-school Golf annual Parma Night. They were Challenge will be on Monday 11 April 2016. Contact Melinda Thomas on 0417 508 725 and joined by staff and Foundation Head either join us for a round or for lunch. of Campus, Mr Mike Blood, for a catch Our TOGA on the Peninsula group meet regularly for lunch, so if you are based on up. The next Parma Night is scheduled for the Mornington Peninsula and would like to join us, please contact Community 19 August 2015 at the Blackburn Hotel. All Relations. TOGA welcomes new committee members, so if you are interested in Old Boys are encouraged to come along. learning more, I encourage you to join us at one of our meetings. 30 / FACTIS


Dates for your calendar IN THE COMMUNITY

Spring Garden Tour By Shelley Eckley (YG79)

We were blessed with beautiful weather for the Spring Garden Tour on 24 October 2014. We started at the gardens of Louise Brown and Ben Noar in Gruyere. Louise shared photos which showed the transition from a wilderness of neglected paddocks and discarded machinery to a productive and beautiful garden. We then visited Coombe Cottage, Dame Nellie Melba’s property which is now owned by the Vesty Family. A luncheon was enjoyed in the converted garages, with the walls open and the delicious fragrance of wisteria and orange blossom wafting in with the breeze. After lunch we were treated to a guided tour of the grounds by the groundskeeper Daniel and the vegetable garden keepers John and Di. A big thank you to Rebecca Walsh for organising such a lovely tour.

We would love to see you at one of our upcoming events. Visit our website for further details closer to the date.

Reunions

Year Groups 75, 70, 65 and 55 – Saturday 17 October 2015. Year Groups 01 and 96 – Saturday 19 March 2016. Year Groups 91, 86 and 81 – Saturday 4 June 2016. Year Groups 76, 71, 66, 61 and 56 – Saturday 15 October 2016. Contact paststudents@tintern.vic.edu.au for more information.

Opportunities to visit Tintern Schools

We provide a number of opportunities throughout the year for potential families to come and visit the school. We hope you will join us at one of our upcoming dates: Information Morning – Saturday 22 August at 9am Information Morning – Thursday 10 September at 9.30 Twilight Tour – Thursday 22 October at 5pm ELC Open Morning – Saturday 14 November at 10.30am We would also be happy to arrange a tour for you. Please contact 9845 7777 to arrange a time.

Year 12 Visual Art and Design Exhibition Thursday 15 October, 6pm, Visual Arts Centre

Munch With the Musos

Sunday 22 November CM Wood Centre Contact the Music Department on 9845 7837 for more information.

Spring Celebration

Twilight Market The First Annual Tintern Twilight Christmas market was held in November 2014 with over 50 stalls, varying from chocolate, soap, jewellery, play dough and the ever favourite Fairy Floss; the atmosphere was festive and fun. Children darted through the stalls and lingered near the sausages cooked, as every sausage sizzle is, by Mr Kenny. Santa Claus even made an appearance and Father Taplin said he was very authentic! Everyone shopped happily with Christmas Carols playing along in the background. By Kate Jones, Vice President of Southwood Parents Club

Friday 4 September, 3.30pm – 7pm, Farm

Spring Garden Tour

Friday 23 October For more information contact dlacey@tintern.vic.edu.au

Twilight Market

Friday 20 November, from 3.30pm Contact Community Relations for stall holder information. 90 Alexandra Road, Ringwood East, VIC 3134 Phone: 9845 7777 Email: asktintern@tintern.vic.edu.au

Spring Celebration On 5 September 2014 the Friends of Young Farmers hosted their Spring Celebration at the farm with 500 people attending! The sun shone warm and brightly, the air was crisp and clean, the smell of grilling sausages met our noses, whilst lambs frolicked and bleated in the paddocks, waiting for a cuddle! A soccer ball was continually kicked around, marshmallows were toasted on the bonfire with much deliberation by children to find the “right stick”. Family and friends sat and enjoyed their sausages together in the sunshine. Two of our expectant ewes delivered twins during the afternoon, giving many people a new experience. The Friends of Young Farmers worked hard to provide this pleasant afternoon for all and we would like to reiterate our belief that the farm is for everyone who loves animals, enjoys nature or just loves to relax in a beautiful outdoor environment. By Joy Ashfield, President of Friends of Young Farmers

key contacts Principal

MR BRADLEY FRY principal@tintern.vic.edu.au

Vice Principal, Curriculum, Reporting, Assessment and Innovation MR JASON MCMANUS jmcmanus@tintern.vic.edu.au

Vice Principal, Administration MR GEOFF CONNOR gconnor@tintern.vic.edu.au

Head of Tintern Junior School and Early Learning Centre MRS ANNA RIDDELL ariddell@tintern.vic.edu.au

Head of Southwood Junior School and Boys Education MR ADAM KENNY akenny@tintern.vic.edu.au

Head of Tintern Middle School and Girls Education MISS ORIANA CONSTABLE oconstable@tintern.vic.edu.au

Head of Southwood Middle School MR BRETT TROLLOPE btrollope@tintern.vic.edu.au

Acting Head of Senior College MRS HEATHER RUCKERT hruckert@tintern.vic.edu.au

Admissions and Marketing Manager MRS SARAH BUCHANAN sbuchanan@tintern.vic.edu.au

Factis magazine is produced by Tintern Schools. Editorial enquiries: Admissions and Marketing Manager 9845 7768 FACTIS / 31


“...every child needs to gaze beyond limits, challenged to be their very best...” BRAD FRY, PRINCIPAL


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