Term 3 Week 6 | 23 August 2024

As a College that seeks to be inspired by Jesus to make a difference, our staff has a responsibility to continue to strengthen our commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ and celebrate our Catholic tradition. Providing opportunities for staff to deepen their connection to our mission ensures they can respond effectively to the needs of the young people in their spiritual care.

We don’t have to look far for role models who were inspired by Jesus to make a difference. Our College founders – Venerable Catherine McAuley and Blessed Edmund Rice – devoted their lives to serving others and being agents of change for a better world. It was a tough journey they chose to tread – there were many challenges to be faced and obstacles to overcome. It would have been tempting to give up and let someone else save the world; to just settle for being a good person, attend Mass and wish for the best for their desperate Irish compatriots who were sometimes looking at a one-way ticket to Botany Bay or worse. They were normal people who found themselves in privileged circumstances and used their good fortune and deep faith to initiate incredible change in the world around them and they never gave up hope. In fact, as I see it, their hope was as boundless as their faith.

On the recent student free day, our staff travelled to Melbourne to engage in professional learning in a variety of places that celebrate our founders or have a significant link to our ethos and charism. A busload went to the Glowrey Museum, another bunch descended on the MacKillop Heritage Centre and others visited MacKillop Family Services. A group trod in the early footsteps of the first Christian Brother in Australia, Ambrose Treacy, and my companions and I selected a Catholic Walking tour that commenced at the Home of Mercy in Fitzroy, which was the highlight of my day.

At the Home, we were privileged to spend time with two elderly Sisters of Charity who have devoted their lives to helping others. Well into their 80s, the Sisters are still involved in the running of a busy soup kitchen for men experiencing homelessness and a refuge for women and children. They had both met Mother Teresa when she was in Melbourne in 1975 and were called to enter a life of poverty and service with her religious community, the Missionaries of Charity. It was incredibly humbling to hear their stories, all told with great humour and compassion. They spoke about the marginalised who are often shunned and denigrated in our society – addicts, rough-sleepers, men, women and transgender people with mental health and trauma issues – as ‘our people’. It was very moving to hear one of the Sisters describe seeing a glimpse of Jesus in the eyes of some of these characters and to feel her active spirituality. I felt as if I could join the dots from Catherine McAuley’s first House of Mercy on the destitute streets of Dublin in the eighteenth century to the little building in Fitzroy where my colleagues and I were gathered in 2024. I could feel the hope.

"At Trinity, hope is part of the spiritual engine; we hope for the very best for our students, for our community, for our world."

I think Nick Cave described it well when he wrote that “hope rises out of known suffering and is the defiant and dissenting spark that refuses to be extinguished.” He said hope is “the warrior emotion” that continually battles to show us the world is worth believing in and that every little loving act we engage in, as small or big as you like, is hope-filled and redemptive.

At Trinity, hope is part of the spiritual engine; we hope for the very best for our students, for our community, for our world. And as part of our hope we set boundaries, we have aspirations and high expectations, we model Gospel Values and we pray. Sometimes any one of these things can be challenging and confronting for our students and even our parents, but we are committed to making a difference and we make no apologies for anticipating that our staff, students and families will try to do and be their very best. It is part of our tradition, our heritage and our culture. It is the Trinity difference and we hope it is your difference, too.

I have provided some links below about the fantastic places we visited for our PL day and also some information about our founders and patrons.

After such a wonderful day, we are prepared to tackle the rest of the busy term and I’m sure our students enjoyed the time out of the classroom. Our Year 12 cohort has been provided with a presentation on all aspects of university applications this week. Deadlines for initial uni preferences are fast approaching and missing the cut-off date ends up costing our families. We recommend that all students who are even remotely considering tertiary studies next year sign up for a VTAC account and submit preferences. Our Careers Officer, Mrs Julie Demasi, has posted numerous messages to all Year 12 students with instructions on what they need to do, and Mrs Karen A Hart has shared the presentation she delivered with them. If any student or parent or carer would like any more information please contact Karen A Hart, Ryan Geary or Julie Demasi.

I promised I would provide an update on Mr Rathgeber’s position and I would like to announce that Mr Patrick Seal has taken on the role of Acting Head of Students in Matt’s absence, which could possibly be until the end of term. Mrs Louise van Dugteren will be Acting Year 11 Coordinator as Pat fills this position and we thank them for their willingness to adapt and serve their community at such short notice.

Finally, I wish a safe and enjoyable time for the students and staff who are leaving for the annual Ski Trip on Sunday. It is a fantastic opportunity for the Year 11 students and is often one of the highlights of their time at Trinity.

Enjoy your weekend.

Mr Paul Clohesy
Principal

Br Ambrose Treacy Story
Trinity College Colac Founders
Catherine McAuley | Mercy World
Mary Glowrey Museum
Sisters of Charity of Australia
Missionaries of Charity
MacKillop Family Services
Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre

College News

Celebrating Science Week

With a theme of ‘Species Survival – more than just Sustainability’, National Science Week at Trinity was celebrated with an exciting interactive presentation from the team at Wild Action.

Year 7 students had the opportunity to learn about Australian mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians while learning about their different habitats and habits and there were plenty of volunteers to assist in holding the critters.

The rest of the school didn’t miss out, though, with the presentation continuing through the break and allowing all students the chance to interact with the wildlife.

Topics covered during the presentation included the biological classification and taxonomy of the animals, the adaptations that enable them to survive, human impact on their environment, diet, conservation and much more.

The fantastic incursion aimed to strengthen the students’ understanding of the importance of protecting biodiversity and instil a sense of wonder and respect for the natural world.

Judging by the smiles, it looks like it achieved its mission!

Father's Day Breakfast

Trinity students’ fathers and father figures are warmly invited to breakfast to celebrate their special day. Join us in the Jubilee Centre at 7:15am on Friday 30 August for a treat and maybe even a friendly game of table tennis!

The invitation is open to all the beaut blokes in the lives of Years 7 to 12 students – click on the image to RSVP!

Indonesian Competitions

It has been an exciting time for our Language students with various competitions highlighting the culture and beauty of Indonesia.

Sayembara Lisan Results!

Congratulations to Samriddhi (7F) and Olivia (7C) for achieving Highly Commended awards in the finals of the annual Indonesian Speaking Competition! Well done, indeed, and we are very proud of your efforts.

Lomba - Lomba Poster!

This year’s annual poster competition, run by VILTA (Victorian Indonesian Language Teachers’ Association) was to celebrate Indonesia’s 79th Independence Day. The theme was ‘Indonesia’s Natural Beauty’ and students were required to design a poster displaying the country’s stunning natural features.

Three posters each from Years 7 and 8 were selected by our Art teacher, Mr Gavin Lang – terima kasih banyak, Pak Lang (thank you very much Mr Lang) – to be scanned and sent to Melbourne for judging by a jury of experts from the Indonesian Consulate General and the event coordinators.

Prizes are awarded for each year level and the winning posters will be showcased on the VILTA website and social media with prize winners receiving $50, $40 or $30 vouchers. Our selected entries were:

Year 7
Rose (7F), Jay (7E) and Fletcher (7C)

Year 8
Olivia (8C), Jasmine (8E) and Bella (8A)

Our second poster competition with the same theme was held in-school. Terimah kasih banyak to our Art teacher, Mrs Jennifer Colbron, for judging the three winners from Years 7 and 8. And the winners are:

Year 7
Jay (7E) received 1st place voucher of $30 from Millman’s Paperie
Rod (7C) received 2nd place voucher of $20 from Blane’s Newsagency
Carter (7D) received 3rd place voucher of $10 from the Trinity College Canteen

Year 8
Indi (8C) received 1st place voucher of $30 from Millman’s Paperie
Jasmine (8E) received 2nd place voucher of $20 from Blane’s Newsagency
Isaac (8A) received 3rd place voucher of $10 from the Trinity College Canteen

The beautiful posters will be on display in the Mercy and Tuck wings from next week.

Music students visit Birregurra

Last Thursday, the Concert Band and Junior Band musicians gathered together to perform at Birregurra Primary School. The students started the morning at school attending their usual classes before gathering at the Jubilee Centre in Lesson 2 to get their many instruments. Then they all departed on a minibus to Birregurra Primary.

The bus trip took just over 20 minutes and upon arrival the students were all very excited to play for the children. After a quick set up and practice of the performance list the primary students filled the room.

During the performance, the primary students danced along to songs like YMCA. They also recognised the majority of the Junior Band’s nursery rhymes. Overall, the experience was heartwarming and both bands would be proud to play again for such a fantastic audience.

Indee
Year 8

Uniform Update

Along with our new uniform suppliers at Borne Apparel, Trinity College has been examining options for our uniform offerings with some exciting developments being rolled out over the next few months.

As uniform production methods evolve, Borne Apparel has been exploring different fabric and styles to provide the best long-term options for our families that reflect the College's culture of high expectations and offers our students clothing they feel proud to wear.

Student Leadership is currently trialing a new sport shirt that combines the College branding with House colours to provide a comfortable, practical and cost-effective option for physical education and other appropriate activities.

Other options for the sport uniform that the College is examining include new designs for a warm quarter-zip jumper, rugby top, tracksuit pants, leggings and beanie.

The winter and summer uniform options are also being discussed with the Student Leadership and the College Uniform Committee.

Basketball Teams in Big Day in Ballarat

Trinity basketballers travelled to Ballarat for the next phase of their competition with the Intermediate girls’ team making it through to the state championships with three fantastic wins!

Their first game was a nail-biting game against Monivae College, where the girls played with great intensity throughout the whole game, applying some great defensive pressure to win 35 to 31.

The second game was against Mercy and the team moved the ball really nicely, working well as a team to win 36 to 27.

The last game was the Grand Final, where they a really good start against Emmanuel, leaving them without a score for the first three minutes of the game. The girls played some great basketball with great defence shutting down Emmanual's stronger players and ending up with the win and going through to state championships.

The Intermediate boys’ first game was against Monivae, which they lost 23 to 37. The team rallied and the second game against Mercy was a win, 59 to 54.

Their third match was a final to play out for third place against Horsham, with the end score being Trinity 84 to Horsham 66.

The Senior boys’ played some excellent basketball but the first game resulted in Trinity 39 to Marian 50, and the second against Bayview College was also a defeat, 32 to 49.

The Senior girls’ first game was a loss against Monivae, 23 to 37. Their following game was a nailbiter against Mercy where they won 59 to 54 and the last game sealed their third place against Horsham with a win 84 to 66.

Congratulations to all our basketballers for putting in their very best effort and displaying superb teamwork and a fantastic attitude.

Parent Notices

Leaving School Grounds

At Trinity College we prioritise the care, safety, and wellbeing of all children and young people as a core responsibility. Ensuring child safety involves knowing your child's whereabouts throughout the day, confirming their attendance in each class, and making sure they are accounted for at all times.

If your child needs to leave the school grounds at any time, it is essential they sign out through student reception. At no point are students to leave school grounds without following this process.

Likewise, if you need to collect your child for an appointment or communicate an important message to your child, please direct all correspondence through our reception staff.

At Trinity we are committed to offering exceptional wellbeing support to our students. If you are ever concerned about your child's attendance please contact the relevant Year Level Coordinator or any member of the Wellbeing team on 5233 9200.

Natalie Holt
Director of Wellbeing

Trinity Computer Collection

Trinity College will be collecting the College owned computers to undertake an annual review and health check of the device, complete outstanding system updates and perform a ‘test and tag’ to meet our compliance requirement. Please ensure ALL components (computer, bag and charger) are returned to the College.

Students with unreported damage to the College computer must contact the ICT department as soon as possible to avoid delays. As stated in the College Computer Loan Agreement, any damage requiring repair/replacement or intentional graffiti to computers will incur an excess charge.

Key dates for computer return and collection for each year level:

Important Dates

Sunday 25 - Friday 30 August
Ski Trip

Friday 30 August
Father's Day Breakfast at 7:15am

Wednesday 4 September
Years 8 and 9 Subject Selection due

Monday 3 September - Thursday 5 September
Year 9 Melbourne Experience

In this Issue

Principal's Message

Principal's Message

Principal's Message