Dear Members of the Trinity Family,

This week I addressed Year 11 students as they began the process of discerning who is best placed to lead their cohort as College, Ministry and House Captains in 2025. Every year I am impressed by the willingness of our students to put themselves forward to serve others.

Last weekend, on 29 June, the Church celebrated the Feasts of Saints Peter and Paul. Peter and Paul were tasked with leading the early Christian communities following the death and resurrection of Jesus. Peter was a fisherman who denied Jesus three times. Paul was a Pharisee who worked to persecute the Church. Why would Jesus rely on these two imperfect Apostles to carry on his mission?

Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that God works in and through each of us, irrespective of our faults, failures or imperfections. Their encounter with the Risen Christ was a source of grace and encouragement, and so impactful that they went on to evangelise and lead the early Christian communities throughout the Mediterranean world.

In Matthew’s Gospel we read Jesus saying to Peter: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church” (Matt. 16:18). Peter was called to serve through leading the Church. Paul was called to serve through evangelising the gentiles. At its heart, the call to serve others is one of the central tenants of the Gospel.

Pope Francis makes it clear that “For leadership there is only one road: service. There is no other way. If you have many qualities , the ability to communicate, etc. , but you are not a servant, your leadership will fail, it is useless, it has no power to gather [people] together…Leadership must enter into service, but with a personal love for the people.”

I look forward to seeing which Year 11 students put their hand up to serve others through their leadership in the period ahead. I am also excited to see what our current student leaders do with the remaining time they have as our seniors of the College.

NAIDOC Week Celebrations - “Keep the Fire Burning: Blak, Loud & Proud” 

In our final week of the Term we celebrated NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It invites all Australians to listen, learn, and engage in meaningful dialogue, fostering a society where the wisdom and contributions of Indigenous peoples are fully valued and respected.

This year’s celebration included singing, dancing, art works, prayers, awards and acknowledgements.  I would like to thank, in particular, Uncle Herb Roberts for his Welcome to Country - and in his absence, acknowledge the support of Uncle Gilbert who has been a great contributor to our College.

Uncle Herb presented our 2024 Deadly Spirit (Ruby Nicholson) and Deadly Leadership Awards (Emily Gilbert and Nitika King) to this year’s recipients. Ruby Nicholson launched our College mural, which aims to teach us about some of the Bundjalung stories of the land and sky, as well as our school heritage.

As a part of our NAIDOC week activities, staff and students came together to create this year’s Reconciliation Art Project. The weaving circle has been occurring each lunchtime since Reconciliation Week, with the aim of bringing people together to learn about the significance of the weaving to our First Nations people while creating a beautiful artwork.

Weaving is one of the most complex and sophisticated examples of First Nations technology and culture. It produces objects of beauty and the process itself has deep cultural significance. Weaving is a way to share knowledge, connect to people and country, invite mindfulness and much more. I am sure you will agree that the finished product is a stunning piece of art. Thank you and congratulations to everyone involved!

Acting Assistant Principal Students & Staff - Semester 2 

As I indicated in my letter on 1 July 2024, Mr Baldwin is taking leave in Semester 2 to care of his ageing parents. I am sure members of our Trinity community will prayerfully support Mr Baldwin and his family during this time. The College Council has appointed Mr Tony Flood to the role of Acting Assistant Principal Students & Staff for Terms 3 and 4. Mr Flood is well known to our College community and will bring stability and commitment to this important leadership role. As a result of Mr Flood vacating his Leader of Learning PDHPE role, Mrs Cassie Allen has been appointed to serve in this role for Semester 2. Thank you to Mrs Allen for taking on this responsibility.

Deepfakes, Sextortion, Phishing and Online Safety.

On 3 June the College hosted Kirra Pendergast from Safe on Social. Kirra presented to students about current online safety risks in an eye-opening seminar. Given the changing nature of the online world, and the risks posed to all users, it is vital we maintain a contemporary understanding of e-safety risks.

Every school in the country is grappling with this issue because every school in the country is an extension of the broader community in which it exists. Students, staff and parents must partner with each other to bring about a safer and more respectful world. We all have an individual and collective responsibility to inform ourselves of the risks and then take practical steps to address these at home and at school. [I must note that the overwhelming majority of the issues that are reported to us at Trinity did not happen at school; they occurred at home or on weekends].

Below I include a series of resources produced by Safe on Social. I strongly encourage families to read through these and contact the College if they have any questions or concerns. The language - ‘sextortion, deepfakes, phishing’ - may be foreign to us so it is essential we are informed. In Semester 2 we hope to run a parent information session with Kirra Pendergast so that further education can take place.

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

Winter Illness

We are receiving daily reports of various winter illnesses throughout the student community including whooping cough, RSV, COVID and more.   The preference is for students to remain at home if they are legitimately unwell to aid individual recovery and prevent the further spread of illness.  Please remind your child(ren) to practice good personal hygiene including regularly washing/santising hands, covering mouth when coughing etc.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Semester 2 Attendance Focus

In Semester 2 I will be speaking to students about the importance of consistent school attendance. Students of compulsory school age are required to attend school every day except when they are unwell (noting the above comments re: winter illness).

Student attendance rates across New South Wales schools have plummeted post pandemic. This is a source of great concern. The NSW Department of Education published this infographic recently which clearly shows the impact of sporadic attendance - even a single day absence in a fortnight - on a student’s learning and social development over their school life.

I will speak with students about the importance of consistent attendance in Term 3, in addition to emphasising the importance of punctuality. Our school day starts at 8.55am and ends at 3.06pm. We consistently see students arriving at 9.10am and/or later, therefore missing Tutor Group and the beginning of Period 1 lessons. I am respectfully requesting the support of parents/carers to ensure students are at school and on time in Term 3. Thank you in advance for your efforts. 

Government Funding to Catholic Schools - A message from the CEO of Catholic Schools NSW

“In recent times the debate on non-government school funding has gained renewed attention as public education unions continue their campaign to achieve 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS), along the way, they have taken aim at Catholic and independent schools.

This is unfortunate, increasing the friction between the school sectors is never helpful, the recent campaign has generated a series of class-tinged stories, often wrong and with little attention on student outcomes, such as putting estimates on the land value of our schools or principals' remuneration.

As I said in a recent opinion piece in the Australian Financial Review, No class envy in the classroom, we will never return fire in this manner. All schools should be properly resourced, including government schools funded to their level of need. The national tide rises when all schools are supported and perform strongly.

I want to acknowledge the impact that the less-considered commentary can have on our staff, families, and communities; where our Mission is mischaracterised or misunderstood, we will take the opportunity to advocate for our schools and systems and the great service they provide to students and families.

We know that Catholic education delivers enormous benefits to our schools and communities, supporting children in their faith and learning journeys. We also deliver huge savings to the government as we step in and provide schooling for hundreds of thousands of students. Important research completed earlier this year demonstrates the significant taxpayer savings delivered by Australia's mixed model of school provision. I hope this resource is useful in explaining and responding to some of the commentaries we encounter in the media and elsewhere.”

Download a copy of the funding report

Annual NESA Report

The College’s Annual NESA School Report for 2023 has been completed and uploaded to the NESA Portal as required. A copy is available on the College website for viewing. 

Student Enrolments

First and second round offers for Year 7 2025 have been sent. Some enrolment vacancies exist in other year levels, but not all. All enrolment enquiries are best directed to our Enrolments Officer via email - enrolments@trinitylismore.nsw.edu.au - or phone: 02) 6627 6647. Applications can be made through our College website. As we move into Semester 2, I am respectfully requesting that we are informed if any family knows their child(ren) will not be returning to the College in 2025. This is vital information for our planning.

Child Safeguarding

The College, like all child-safe organisations, is investing significant time and resources into the implementation of the Child Safe Standards. Our website contains our Statement of Commitment and further policies and procedures that inform our approach to this important work.

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

Jesse Smith

Sean Baldwin

This Term, we have implemented strategies to improve the reading fluency of our students in the classroom.

The Grattan Institute's 2024 report The Reading Guarantee: How to give every child the best chance of success emphasises the importance of reading fluency for several reasons:

1. Foundation for Learning: Reading fluency is seen as a foundational skill that underpins success across all academic subjects. Proficient reading enables students to comprehend and engage with complex texts, which are essential in various subjects.
2. Long-term Educational Success: Proficient readers are more likely to achieve better academic outcomes throughout their schooling. They are better equipped to understand instructions, complete assignments independently, and participate actively in classroom discussions.
3. Cognitive Development: Reading fluency enhances cognitive abilities such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. It stimulates brain development and fosters lifelong learning habits.

Reading fluency is the ability to read a text accurately, at an appropriate pace, and with expression. It builds stamina for reading lengthy or complex texts and bridges word recognition and comprehension. Here are some reading fluency strategies that we have been implementing in the classroom. We encourage you to try some of these reading fluency strategies at home with your child.

Year 8 and Year 10 Subject Selection

• July 24 2024 Year 8 and Year 10 Subject Selection closes and Subject Selection receipt due to Office of Student Learning.
• August 9 2024 Year 10 into 11 Interviews (20 min appointments). Students only attend for their appointment and regular classes are paused.

Year 12 Trial HSC Exams

Please see linked the timetable for the Year 12 Trial HSC Examination period which commences on Monday, 5 August 2024. All Year 12 Students are also encouraged to read The NESA 2024 Rules and Procedures guide in relation to the exam period.

HSC Exams

HSC written exams will start on Tuesday 15 October 2024 with English Paper 1 and finish on Friday 8 November 2024. Please find here the link to the complete 2024 HSC written exam timetable with additional information including the Exam Equipment List. Each Year 12 student will have access to their personal exam timetable through studentsonline.nesa.nsw.edu.au. This timetable lists the students' written exams. It also lists any other exams they are entered for, including oral exams for languages, performance exams and submitted works.

Semester 1 Student Reports

Year 7 to 10 Semester 1 academic reports along with Year 11 Term 2 Interim reports are now available for parents through the Reports tile lighthouse. Further Parent, Student, Teacher interviews will be offered in early Term 4. If you have any questions about your child's reports please make direct contact with their teacher.

2024 Evatt UN Youth Challenge

On 22nd June, ten Trinity students participated in the United Nations Youth Evatt competition. The Evatt Competition takes the form of a Model United Nations debate simulating a session in the United Nations Security Council chamber. The Evatt Competition is a negotiation competition where teams of two are given nations to represent. The nations make amendments to a proposed bill, debating for the likes of one's country. They first debated a bill regarding the World Health Organisation and discussed fundamental topics such as the privatization of health care and the lack of medical supplies available for certain nations. They then moved on to a bill about the ongoing war in the Middle East. This bill challenged nations to consider their relationship with the Middle East and provided many opportunities for engaging in debates.

Success in the Queensland round can lead to a spot on the Queensland delegation to the Evatt National Finals. The semi-finals are on Saturday 10th August (9 am to 3:30 pm) at the University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus. Thank you to Caspian Patterson, Ayla Crotty, Maive McKenzie, Sharleze Rebbeck, William Harrison, Georgina Cappe, Jesse Alexander-Gordon, Charlotte Goodwin, Sana Rin, and Zoe Andrews for participating in this competition. All participants will find out in August if they make it to the semi finals.

We wish all students and families well for the winter break. 

Alison Unwin - Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

Tracy Benfield - Director of Learning

Amy Pascoe - Director of Teaching Excellence

NAIDOC WEEK & LITURGY

The final week of this Term marked the College’s celebration of NAIDOC Week. Activities ran throughout the week with Indigenous students from St Carthage’s visiting the College to learn a little about our mural and dance with our older students. Our Indigenous students were also part of a Bundjalung cultural experience where Uncle Gilbert Laurie came in to tell the stories of the land and sky of the Bundjalung nation while also teaching students to paint Bundjalung totems onto our school mural. We also saw the completion of the 2024 Reconciliation Art Weaving Project, which students and staff have been working on since Reconciliation Week.

The school community and families came together last Thursday to celebrate Indigenous culture, heritage and achievements with our NAIDOC Liturgy. Uncle Herb Roberts welcomed us to Country and was a part of our panel where Aboriginal students spoke about what Reconciliation looks like to them. Our ceremony was full of dance, music, art and prayer and we are grateful for the students, families and Bundjalung elders who have shared their culture with us.  During the liturgy we celebrated the successes of Year 12 students Emily Gilbert and Nitika King who were recipients of our NAIDOC Deadly Leadership Award and Year 9 student Ruby Nicholason who was the recipient of the Deadly Spirit Award. Congratulations to these impressive students and we thank them for their valued contribution to our school community.

STREET RETREAT

In Week 9, Year 11 students Jenna Ros, Harvey McPhee, Tom Ambrose and Georgina Cappe together with Ms Alison Unwin were in Brisbane participating in the Lismore Diocese initiative Street Retreat. This experience exposes students to social injustice, and equips, forms and empowers them to turn to their parish and school communities with a passion for social justice; awakening a greater sense of the call of Jesus Christ to serve the poor.

WINTER APPEAL CONTINUES

The Trinity Winter Appeal continues into next Term. Our baskets at reception are filled with your wonderful donations which will go to the Lismore Winsome Soup Kitchen and Vinnies to help people in our area who are living rough this winter.  With the cold and damp of Winter setting in, please keep your donations coming. The appeal runs for the first 3 weeks of next Term.

Annette White - Director of Mission

USED UNIFORM SELL/SWAP

Some parents prefer to do their own buy/swap, sell and by passing the uniform shop and using the College office as a point of collection.   However, this is becoming problematic for reception staff. 

The College has no objection to you continuing to sell or swap uniforms etc, however, we ask that you do not involve any staff in your transactions.   The College will not accept any responsibility for any money that might go missing or items of clothing that are not collected, lost or not in good order.  They will not be stored at the College. 

Any items swapped or sold privately amongst Parents/carers should be arranged in your own time and space.   

Many thanks,

Carmel

cwarnock@trinitylismore.nsw.edu.au

COLLEGE PHOTOS

CAN STILL BE ORDERED

INDIVIDUAL, TUTOR GROUP or FAMILY PHOTOS

To order please visit: https://theschoolphotographer.com.au/ and

ordering code: X6198EC47T

SPORTS and SPECIAL PHOTOS

Photos can be viewed and ordered online at
www.theschoolphotographer.com.au

ordering code:   24S6198EC47T

YEAR 12 GRADUATION

All photographs taken on Thursday 26 September 2024
will be available for viewing and purchasing from

Friday 4 October 2024

www.theschoolphotographer.com.au

ordering code:    24S6198TCCG

FOR ALL ENQUIRIES PLEASE PHONE:  

6628 0511

or

9674 9824