Trinity Catholic College Lismore eNewsletter

Principal's Report

Dear Members of the Trinity Community,

One of the highlights of my year is witnessing the HSC class celebrate all that they have accomplished in Graduation Week. This year’s Graduation Mass, Prize Giving and Farewell Assembly were fitting tributes to the Class of 2025 who have overcome much and achieved even more.

I sincerely congratulate each member of the Graduating Class for their resilience, tenacity and ability to endure the trials and tribulations of the past six years. The prayer recited for Year 12, following the distribution of their Trinity crosses on Tuesday night, encapsulates Trinity’s desire for our Year 12 students:

“May you embrace the mystery of life as it unfolds before you. May your life be richly fulfilling; a celebration of God’s love for you. May you meet the challenges that lie ahead with hope and enthusiasm. May you always know that wherever you go our prayers are with you too. May God’s all powerful love be with you always, to give you strength to persevere in tough times, faith to keep believing, and the hope to see you fulfill your potential.”

I wish all of HSC students well for their examinations which commence in Week 1 of Term 4. I also thank all of those long-term Trinity families whose association with the College ends with the graduation of their child in 2025. Thank you for your endless support and encouragement - we sincerely appreciate it.

2026 Student Leaders

I am pleased to announce the following students have been appointed to designated leadership positions in 2026:

College Captains - Tayla Matthews, Solly Nielsen
Ministry Captains - Mia O’Reilly, Logan Connolly
Year 12 Student Representative Councillors - Stella Burke, Logan Cartwright, Ayla Crotty, Summer O’Connor, Indigo Scanlan, Isabelle Slater
Cannane House Captains - Isabella Watson, Bill Themsen
Carthage House Captains - Rose Robinson, Sam Cottee
Champagnat House Captains - Darcy Healy, Gus Norwell
Chanel House Captains - Laura Rose, Jeremy Ellemore-Collins
D’Arcy House Captains - Isabel Schilling, Lila May
Dennis House Captains - Lilly Comber, Oliver Rose
Doyle House Captains - Ava Greensill, Amarli Grande
McColl House Captains - Ali Robertson, Maria Mitchell
Nagle House Captains - Annie Krieg, Jahli Brady
Wilson House Captains - Jellian Doohan, Levi Haxton

At the time of writing this Lantern, elections for our Years 8-11 SRC are underway.

Term 4 Return Dates

Staff Days - Monday 13 and Tuesday 14 October 2025

Students Return - Wednesday 15 October 2025 (Day 3)

HSC Commences - Thursday 16 October 2025

The Australian Minimum Age for Social Media

From December 10, 2025, social media platforms in Australia will be legally required to prevent under-16s from creating or maintaining accounts. To help parents and students understand these changes, and to prepare, I am include a series of resources from reputable organisations:

Parent & Carer Guide - The Australian 16+ Age Delay by Kirra Pendergast.
The e-Safety Commissioner’s Regulatory Guidance.
The Australian Minimum Age Regulatory Framework Decoded by Kirra Pendergast.

Enrolment Terms & Conditions

The College is currently in the process of updating its enrolment terms and conditions to ensure that they reflect the changing world in which we live. Changes to privacy, student data, cyber security, artificial intelligence and more requires us to review and update our enrolment terms. A parent code of conduct will be included in these updates. Further information will be provided in Term 4.

2026 Return Date

For the information of families the Leadership Team has determined the following in regard to the commencement of 2026.

Staff Days (pupil free) - 27 January & 28 January 2026
Year 7, 11, 12 - 29 January 2026
All Students - 30 January 2026

Speed Zones on SCU Campus - 20km/hr

Students, staff, parents and visitors are asked to observe the 20km/hr speed limits on the Southern Cross University Campus. Unfortunately we have had vehicles moving through the campus at high speed which put pedestrians and others at risk. Trinity students driving to and from school need to park in the Kellas Street Car Park and ensure that they observe the speed limits and road rules just like any other driver. Thank you for your support with this important safety issue.

Vaping - Cancer Council Resource

The Cancer Council and Mid-North Coast Health remain committed to vaping cessation and educating young people and families about the risks associated with vaping. Schools can access a range of up-to-date, evidence-based resources for students and parents via the NSW Health Vaping Resources page. We also encourage you to promote Pave, a free, evidence-based app developed by the Cancer Council to support young people in quitting vaping. This tool offers practical strategies, personalised support, and motivation for those looking to quit. You may wish to display the Pave App poster in areas visible to students or include it in your wellbeing communications.

Student Enrolments

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

Updated Details - Parent Portal

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

e-Safety Resources for Parents/Carers

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

Key Dates for Term 4

HSC Exams 16 October - 10 November
Year 12 Graduation Evening - 14 November
Nagle Day Liturgy - 21 November
Last Day of Term - 17 December

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