Welcome

This Issue’s Welcome Article is by Assistant Principal Oriana Constable 

The Paris Olympics are underway and I spent much of the weekend watching the Opening Ceremony, and athletes from all over the world perform in the pool, on the courts and fields, and on the streets of Paris. Seeing teams float along the Seine during the ceremony reminded me of the power of sport to break down barriers, unite people, and showcase diverse cultures.

There’s something undeniably special about the Olympics. Like many others, I find myself staying up late to watch sports I wouldn’t normally be interested in (did you know ‘breaking’ is a sport?). Whether I’m watching events on the big screen TV from the couch, on my phone on public transport, or on the iPad from the warmth of my bed in the early hours of the morning, I’m suddenly invested in a soccer match, a fencing duel, or a race through whitewater rapids, and I’m riding the highs and lows as the athletes put absolutely everything they’ve got into their events. As it turns out, it’s not just me, but every staff member and student I’ve spoken with this week had something exciting to share about a sport or event at the Olympics that they had watched.

Reflecting on the Olympic ideals of excellence, friendship, and respect, I see these values demonstrated by the remarkable athletes in both their Deeds and Words. The camaraderie among teams, coaches, family members, and athletes as they celebrate and console each other is inspiring. In our recent Secondary Assembly, Rev Alison shared Derek Redmond’s story from the Barcelona Olympics. Together we watched the moving footage of the athlete’s father running onto the track to support his son to finish the race he trained so hard for. In the coming weeks there will no doubt be many displays of sportsmanship and ‘teachable moments’ for us to discuss as a community. We’re also excited to host Alumni Katerina Paul, a cross-country skier, and Winter Olympian and World Champion Snowboarder Scotty James, who will share their experiences and inspire our students to dream big.

Just like a well-executed synchronised dive, there is a strong alignment between the Olympic ideals and our own School Values; we too, strive for excellence and encourage our students to be the best they can be. Just as athletes dedicate years of hard work and perseverance to reach the pinnacle of their sport, our students strive to be their best in all aspects of school life; whether in academics, performing arts, visual arts or sports, these ideals encourage our students to set high goals and work with the support of their teachers, to achieve them.  Watching athletes support and celebrate each other is much the same as celebrating friendship at Tintern. It is about creating caring and connected communities, through the promotion of teamwork, collaboration, and mutual support. Giving students opportunities to form friendships across different classes and year levels, cultures, and backgrounds enriches our School and contributes to our inclusive and supportive environment, much like the athletes’ village.

Considering our recent redesign of the School Wardrobe, I’ve thought more about Olympic uniforms than I might have ordinarily. From the Swarovski crystals on Simone Biles’ leotard to the high fashion outfits of the French team and the Mongolian team’s embroidered vest, uniforms are more than just functional sportswear. Olympic athletes take immense pride in wearing their national colours and it reminds them of the values and expectations they represent and share. Similarly, our new School Wardrobe, The Tintern Collection: Celebrating 150 years, can instil pride and responsibility in our students, reminding them of our shared values, traditions and collective goals. Our House colours, worn during events like the House Cross Country last week, also create a visual and symbolic connection, encouraging students to support and uplift each other, contributing to a greater sense of belonging.

This week Mr Fry will share some updates with the community about our exciting new School Wardrobe which students will transition to over the next two years and will be available to purchase later this year.

Oriana Constable | Assistant Principal

The Tintern Collection

The Tintern Collection: Celebrating 150 years

Roll-out

Tintern Grammar’s new wardrobe The Tintern Collection: Celebrating 150 years is on track for availability to all students from the start of Term 4 2024.  There will be a two-year transition period, with current students not required to wear the new Academic or PE/Sport Wardrobes until 2027 – our 150^th year.

The new wardrobe has been styled by renowned designer Jonathan Ward in collaboration with the Wardrobe Committee comprising students, staff and parents. Much thought and work has gone into the styling of the wardrobe – the design, choice of fabrics, colours, cut and fit – and the result is stunning!

It is non-seasonal, gender neutral, and contemporary, with the collection incorporating classic lines and colours. Featuring all new Academic and PE/Sport ranges with the introduction of a number of optional additional pieces of clothing, students can choose pieces to wear that they feel comfortable in and will enable them to perform their best in and out of the classroom.

The Academic Wardrobe features options including a variety of new knitwear (pullover, cardigan and vest), a new dress, skirt, shirt options and blazer, as well as shorts and trousers, with much greater choice in what can be worn, and with what. The PE/Sport range is sure to be an even greater hit with students, who can choose from leggings, shorts, skorts (Junior students), a polar fleece vest, soft-shell jacket, hoodie, long sleeve t-shirts and short sleeve polos.

A feature of the PE/Sport Wardrobe is the introduction of the new bold T logo incorporating the combined School colours of white, green and maroon; a contemporary nod to our heritage, and symbol of our unified School. All PE/Sport items are branded with the new T and all Academic items with the existing Tintern mitre. The new socks, scarf and beanie have neither branding, and can be worn with either wardrobe.

Students will wear items from the Academic Wardrobe on all days of the week when they do not have inter-school Sport (and in Junior School, days when they do not have PE or Sport).  As now, there will continue to be specific requirements for inter-school sports teams competing for the School and these arrangements will vary according to the particular sport in which a student is involved.

Please find below details of the new wardrobe, images will shortly be shared with our community through our Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Timing

Term 4 2024 – end 2026 – Transition to new wardrobe.

The roll-out of The Tintern Collection begins in Term 4 2024 and will conclude with all students wearing only the new wardrobe from Term 1 2027.

Term 1 2027 onwards – Full implementation of The Tintern Collection for all students. 

Current students

Only items from the new Tintern Collection will be available for purchase for current students (enrolled at Tintern prior to Term 4 2024) and while they are encouraged to purchase and wear items from The Tintern Collection, they are not required to wear any elements of this wardrobe until 2027.

Current students will be allowed to mix-and-match new Academic Wardrobe items (all branded with the Tintern mitre) with the current Academic Uniform, and items from the new PE/Sport Wardrobe (all branded with the T logo) can also be mixed with items from the current PE/Sport uniform. 

However, no mixing of items between the Academic and PE/Sport Wardrobes is permitted.  The new beanie and scarf can be worn with either the Academic or PE/Sport Wardrobe.

New students

Only items from the new wardrobe The Tintern Collection will be available for purchase for new students.

Stockists

The Tintern Collection: Celebrating 150 years will be available to purchase in-store on-campus and online from Term 4 2024.

Academic Wardrobe – Secondary School

Core items (termed ‘Formals’ and required uniform for all students)

From the commencement of Term 4 2024 until the end of 2026, the following items (designated ‘Formals’) must be worn for all School-designated formal events. For this period, these may be all, or a mix of, the current or new Wardrobe versions of:

• Blazer
• Tie (may only worn with the white long-sleeved shirt)
• White, tuck-in, long-sleeved shirt (Tintern Mitre logo) or white tailored, long-sleeved blouse – existing

• Trousers or skirt (skirt can be worn with socks or tights)

• New Tintern tri-stripe or plain navy socks
• Black polishable shoes or T-bars

NB: From Term 1 2027, when the transition to the new Wardrobe ends, Formals will still be as above, but with the new wardrobe items only. Formals is the only wardrobe required for secondary students and can be worn at all times other than formal events if desired. All other Academic Wardrobe items other than Formals are optional (see below).

Optional items

The following items from the Academic Wardrobe range are optional:

• Tintern knitwear: choice of jumper, cardigan, or vest
• Tintern striped untucked shirt (long sleeve or short sleeve)
• Tintern striped dress
• Tintern navy shorts
• Tintern tri-stripe beanie
• Tintern tri-stripe scarf

Other than when the tie is worn (which can only be with the white shirt and Formals, and must be worn at designated formal events), all items of the Academic wardrobe can be mixed and matched in any term of the year.

Academic Wardrobe – Junior School Years 3 to 6

Core items (required for all students)

• Tintern blazer

Optional items

From the commencement of Term 4 2024 until the end of 2026, any of the following items may be worn on (non-Sport or PE) school days. For the transition period, these may be a mix of the current or new wardrobe version.

• Tintern white, tuck-in, long-sleeved shirt (Tintern Mitre logo)
• Tintern striped, untucked shirt (long- or short-sleeved)
• Tintern shorts, trousers, or skirt (skirt can be worn with either socks or tights)
• Tintern knitwear: choice of jumper, cardigan, vest
• Tintern dress
• Tintern tri-stripe or plain navy socks
• Black polishable shoes or T-bars
• Tintern tri-stripe beanie
• Tintern tri-stripe scarf

(Ties will no longer be part of the Junior School wardrobe as of Term 4 2024.)

From Term 1 2027, when the transition to the new wardrobe ends, wardrobe items will still be as above, but with the new wardrobe items only.

PE/Sport Wardrobe (Years 3-12)

Core items

From 2027 onwards, Years 3-12 students must have the following items from the PE wardrobe:

• Tintern short sleeve polo
• Tintern sports shorts
• Tintern softshell jacket
• Tintern House polo
• Tintern tri-stripe socks
• Tintern bucket hat (Junior School and ELC only) or Cap

Optional items

The following items from the PE/Sport range are optional:

• Tintern long sleeve tee (blue and white)
• Tintern leggings
• Tintern trackpants
• Tintern hoodie
• Tintern polar fleece vest

From the commencement of Term 4 2024 until the end of 2026, the above items may be a mix of the current or new wardrobe. From Term 1 2027, when the transition to the new wardrobe ends, wardrobe items will still be as above, but with the new wardrobe items only.

Activity based wardrobe – ELC – Year 2

From 2027 onwards, all ELC and Prep – Year 2 students can choose to wear any items from the wardrobe that they feel comfortable in, as appropriate to the seasons:

• Tintern polo dress
• Tintern polo top (long sleeve and short sleeve)
• Tintern skort
• Tintern shorts
• Tintern leggings
• Tintern trackpants
• Tintern long sleeve tee
• Tintern ¼ zip polar fleece jumper
• Tintern polar fleece vest
• Tintern bucket hat (compulsory for all ELC – Year 2 students)

NB: During the transition period, Term 2, 2024 – Term 1, 2026, current Prep-Year 2 students may not mix current Academic uniform items with the new Activity-Based wardrobe for ELC-Year 2.

Student Voice – Arts Captains

This year the Visual Art & Design department has explored ‘community’ curating exhibitions, connecting different parts of the School and wider community together. This has included the current exhibits of the Early Learning Centre (ELC) and the Year 11 VCE Art Making and Exhibiting classes.

At the start of Term 3 we had the ELC Art show with a range of colourful and exciting works, made from bottle tops, paint, fabrics, collages and wonderful imaginations.

The Year 11 Art Making and Exhibiting students created and curated a small exhibition of their works based on ‘Distortion’, which they collectively developed as a theme.  They interpreted ‘Distortion’ in various ways, coming up with individual ideas. They used different art forms such as painting, drawing, and mixed media to bring their ideas to life, demonstrating the depth of their ideas. When curating the space, they also added artist statements and designed the layout of the works.

Students across the entire campus were also invited to create their own badges for Reconciliation week, proudly wearing their designs.

Senior students explored the Art & Design world with excursions to Top Designs, ACMI, Heide Museum and the NGV.

Following on from the theme of connecting the School community with one another, the Visual Art & Design department is currently organising a large-scale collaborative exhibition, following the success of the 10×10 exhibition in 2023. ‘Room as a Loom’ (Thursday 8 August –  Thursday 5 September 2024) creates an opportunity for all members of the School community to interact with each other, though the traditional art form of weaving. The art exhibition space will be transformed into a collaborative sphere of recycled materials, varying from lamp shades to tennis racquets. Generating an immersive, mindful exhibition space in which the School community can participate together to create a unique exploration of the traditional art form of weaving. We look forward to seeing you there!

Molly McFarlane & Ellie Robson | Arts Captains

Student Voice – Debating Captains

This year, the Debaters Association Victoria (DAV) debating program has flourished, and many schools from around the area come together to compete in debates, held at Tintern Grammar as we are a host school for the region.

Through the Debating program, students are able to hone their public speaking skills and their writing skills and learn more about the current affairs of the world around them. Many of the Tintern teams have seen success this year, with a large number of debates won for the School.

Debating is a fun program that can be enjoyed by all, regardless of academic ability. All you need to be a great debater is passion, and an interest in the field, which is why I believe it is accessible to all students, and a great opportunity.

Due to the DAV competition only being open to Year 9 students and above, a separate program was run, that was open to the future debaters of our School in Years 7 and 8, that allowed them to realise their passion for debating, and start working on crucial skills that will ensure their success in future debating competitions.

Through this, we ensure that Tintern’s debating program remains as strong as ever for the years to come.

Wish us luck as we head into the final debate of the season before the top teams of the competition head off to compete in the playoff rounds.

Oliver Heathcote | Debating Captain

Oliver Heathcote & Amelie Byth | Debating Captains

***Stop the Press – Read the Round 5 Results ***

Performing Arts Matters

We are looking forward to our Middle School production of Oliver Jnr.

Featuring the talents of Tintern students in Years 7 – 9 on the CM Wood Stage for two nights only!

20 – 21 August

Oliver! JR. is full of classic songs including ‘Consider Yourself’, ‘Food Glorious Food’, and ‘Oom-Pah-Pah’, and perfectly showcases the talents of our large ensemble cast.

Don’t miss out

Book Now

Sport Matters

House Cross Country Carnival

On Tuesday 23 July Tintern Grammar held the annual Years 7 – 12 House Cross Country Carnival. The weather for the day was perfect with a sunny 17 degrees and running conditions were excellent for the students. The course started on the oval and made its way around the Junior Schools, down to the back paddock on the Tinternwood Farm, through the bush section and finished back on the oval. All runners gave their best effort for their House. Congratulations to our year level champions on the day:

Girls 

Boys

Overall results:

1^st            Mansfield/McKie                              465 Points

2^nd           Somner/Stewart                               336 Points

3^rd           Gordon/Grant                                    331 points

4^th           Butterss/Cross                                  262 Points

5^th           Dann/Watt                                           261 Points

International Soccer

We congratulate Year 10 student Jonty Benfield, who represented Australia in the Joeys team at the ASEAN U16 Boys Soccer Championship in Surakara, Indonesia. On Wednesday 3 July, in front of a crowd of 16,000, the team known as ‘The Subway Joeys’ clinched the Championship title, defeating Thailand in an 8-7 shootout, following a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes. Jonty’s role in the Final was substitute GK, being part of this team, at this level of competition, was an incredible journey and experience. Jonty is now back in Australia training for the National competition.

Baseball Victoria

We congratulate Declan and Reiley Marshall, both boys play representative baseball for Eastern Athletics, Baseball Victoria.  

Declan

Played in State Championships in Senior League U16s, in April at Geelong and came runners up. This qualified his team to participate in the National Championships in May in Geelong. The team placed 6^th out of 10 teams in the final.

Reiley

Played in State Championships in the Intermediate League U13s, in April at Knox. His team went undefeated, winning the State Championship.  Qualifying to participate in the National Championships in May in Lismore, the team were runners-up, winning the Silver medal. So close to representing Australia at the Little League World series in USA, was the prize for the Gold medal in this championship. Reiley and his team had achieved so much and are skilled Baseball players.

Peak Performance

Peak Performance is a Year 9 elective and at the end of last term students visited RSEA Park for the Elite Energy program. They were guided through a typical week of a professional footballer to see what is required to reach their peak. Students were given a snapshot of all aspects of the elite program through both theoretical and practical elements, including the physical and mental demands.

Music Matters

As a Music Leader, Music Camp is the perfect opportunity to get some leadership experience, work as a team, and come up with fun activities for everyone to enjoy. This year our main event involved reimagining our House singing set song You’re the Voice into a new genre. All the new renditions of this Aussie classic were wonderful, especially with such a short preparation time! Congratulations to our winning group who performed You’re the Voice in the style of Latin Jazz, and our runners up teams, Ballad and Country. All performances were so much fun to watch, and the positive attitude and support for all groups was heartwarming.

Our Music Camps often become highlights of students’ time at Tintern, and it was certainly hard to leave on Sunday knowing that this was our last. We’re so grateful for the beautiful memories we’ve made along the way, it’s wonderful to see everyone working together and enjoying something we are all so passionate about. It really does echo our favourite motto, ‘the more you get into music, the more you get out of life!’

Of course, none of this would have been possible without our incredible, inspiring teachers and the Friends of Music. We’d like to thank them for all of their hard work and for giving us memories to look back on for the rest of our lives.

The Music Department is surely an incredible place, full of love, happiness and music! Be sure to come to our Annual Music Concert, this Friday, so you can experience the skill and passion of the Music students and staff in the CM Wood Centre from 7.00pm. Entry is free.

Katie Howell | Instrumental Captain

Ashley Honan | Choral Captain

Over the weekend the Music Department held the Annual Music Concert Rehearsal Weekend, affectionately known as ‘Music Camp’. The weekend, as always, was full of fun, smiles and music!

Each ensemble performing at the upcoming Annual Music Concert on Friday 2 August had a chance to rehearse, showcasing the Jazz Band’s electrifying energy, the choral mastery of the choirs and the orchestral ensembles, whose pieces took flight! Aside from these wonderful rehearsals, our main goal was putting together the massed item Another Day of Sun. Each year students and teachers spend the weekend learning the Concert’s finale piece, and this year we are lucky enough to be performing this upbeat number from the hit film La La Land. All the students involved in the Music program at Tintern take part in this spectacular piece, this year featuring three-part jazzy harmonies with inspiring lyrics, and our Senior Stage Band playing the exciting accompaniment.

Music Camp is a great chance for our Music students to get to know each other, build connections and make new friends. Our younger students get to see where music could take them later in their schooling as they see all the amazing opportunities available. As senior students, it’s an awesome chance to have a weekend full of music (and a break from homework!). Thanks to our weekend of creativity and collaboration, the Music department have some tricks up their sleeves for the upcoming Concert. You won’t want to miss it!

Alison Bezaire | Director of Music

BOOK  NOW 

Faith Matters

RAVE in the Junior School

As part of the curriculum in our Junior School, students engage in a Religion And Values Education (RAVE) lesson for half an hour each week. These lessons are designed to broaden the students understanding and respect for values and beliefs that may differ from their own.

The first lesson for Term 3 was based around Nelson Mandela, looking at who he was, what he did and why he is considered an important person in history. In the pictures below you can see how the Year 2 girls responded to the lesson. The students included a sentence about Mr Mandela and used pastels to create a drawing that encapsulated their understanding.

‘I love how Nelson Mandela tried to be friends with the white people and helped to change the world.’ Julia

‘I loved how Nelson Mandela was really helpful and really tried to make everyone friends.’ Ira

‘Nelson Mandela was amazing because he changed the world to make it more fair.’ Sophie

‘Nelson Mandela, brave not perfect.’ Emily

‘Nelson Mandela was a very good man and was very kind’. Elin

Alison Andrew | School Chaplain

ELC News

Art Show

The Early Learning Centre Art Show is a biannual community event, showcasing the creative art pieces created by Tintern’s youngest learners. In the early years, art is considered as a vehicle for learning, it allows children to engage deeply with particular mediums, develop fundamental skills, and to learn particular concepts such as shape, symmetry or colour. Each of the ELC classes turned one of their art pieces into a mini-inquiry, delving a little deeper into the learning behind the piece of art.

The early learners focused on the concept of threading, creating unique sculptures using a variety of natural materials and different textures. The children were introduced to threading resources and materials, using a variety of natural resources, wooden and small beads for threading such things as necklaces and bracelets. Once the children developed threading skills, such as grip, hand eye co-ordination and dexterity they were ready to learn more about sculpting the wire and clay ready to make the final product.

Pre-Prep B used the Thinking Routine Think, Puzzle, Explore to uncover their prior knowledge and new knowledge to further investigate the process of weaving. The children spent time learning about the key techniques of weaving, ‘under over’ and how to create a God’s eye using coloured wool and popsicle sticks.  Once they learned the fundamental weaving techniques it was then transferred to their weaving art piece.

Pre-Prep A used the Thinking Routine, Colours, Lines and Shapes to brainstorm and identify the physical composition and colours of a variety of minibeasts. They were drawn to a selection of vividly coloured beetles during the Thinking Routine process, and this informed their decision as to how they would paint them. The children investigated the shape and colour of minibeasts during purposeful play activities and used this knowledge to uncover and understand physical composition of minibeasts, and in turn gain a deeper understanding of designing a minibeast for the final art project. 

With the amount of effort the children put into their art pieces, it is only natural to celebrate it in a way that demonstrates its value. One of the forces in Cultures of Thinking outlines the importance of Environment, stating that:

‘the physical environment is the body language of an organisation, conveying its values and key messages even in the absence of its inhabitants’

(p.227 Creating Cultures of Thinking, The 8 Forces we Must Master to Truly Transform our Schools, Ron Richhart)

The Visual Art Space was purposely chosen as the location to display the children’s artwork, where the environment can convey our message of value to the children, and the community can recognise their work. We hosted an opening night for our families to create excitement and acknowledge the importance of their art with the ELC and the wider Tintern community. How fortunate are we to have the space to be able to document the children’s learning and display it in such an amazing way!

Clare Trappitt | Pre-Prep Teacher

Girls’ Junior School News

Prep

We are only halfway through the year, and our Prep girls have already enjoyed a fantastic array of learning opportunities.  One of our standout inquiry units focused on community helpers, highlighted by special visits from the Police, Fire Rescue, and Ambulance Victoria. This topic helped the girls connect classroom learning to the real world, teaching them practical safety skills and the importance of different community roles. Each visit was packed with hands-on activities and vital information that the girls can use in real-life situations.

The students engaged directly with these community heroes, asking questions, and learning about their important roles and responsibilities. They explored a police vehicle, an ambulance, and a fire truck, encouraging curiosity and discovery. The girls were thrilled to squirt water high into the sky using the fire truck hose and pretended to be patients in the back of the ambulance.

One crucial lesson emphasised during the visits was the importance of knowing their home address when calling 000. The girls were tasked with memorising this information for emergencies. These experiences not only made learning fun but also equipped the girls with essential knowledge and skills for their everyday lives.

These memorable experiences will stay with the girls for years to come!

Linda Veleski | Girls’ Prep Classroom Teacher

Year 3

In Year 3 girls, we are lucky to have so many opportunities to extend our learning experience at Tintern. As part of our Girls’ Junior School vision of creating more student agency, the girls in Year 3 wanted to share the amazing things they have been doing in their Specialist classes.

We are currently learning about the different farming industries with Dr Kate each week at the farm this term as part of Agriculture. Our favourite part was the farming industry Treasure Hunt. We had to look for different pictures and farming styles. Our highlight was being able to explore the farm, especially seeing the farm animals.

Hannah, Sarah and Mila

This year we have particularly enjoyed making beautiful things with clay in Art with Mrs Kerr. Our highlights were acrylic painting and painting clay, water colour and weaving paper. We’d like to thank Mrs Kerr for the hard work she puts in to take us through this amazing art journey!

Beatrice, Stasia and Jessie

In Music with Mrs Nyhuis, it is peaceful, calming and relaxing. Music makes me happy. We recently wrote our own song. It was really fun. We have also learnt to play Ode to Joy on the xylophone and some of us got to play the piano. We wanted to say a big thanks to Ms Nyhuis for an amazing experience with music.

Sana, Natalia and Lili

In Scratch, we have learnt how to do programming. We have learnt how to make sprites change colour and make them spin. We have also learnt how to make backgrounds and characters.

Mac and Charlotte

In STEAM with Mrs Mars, we learnt about Adobe Firefly. We learnt new skills to do with AI. We learnt how to make photos and use very specific language to program the photo. We experimented with photos and learnt to be precise and clear with our instructions by adding extra information. In Spiros we enjoyed running the AI bots around and experimenting with the colours. We made an obstacle course for our bots.

Eleri, Alex and Olivia 

Bonjour everyone. This year we have been learning in French with Madame Thomas, the colours, months of the year, people, family members, pets and greetings. Our highlights were playing Kahoot, learning French songs and greetings. We have particularly enjoyed playing French games. The best part was learning everyday words. Au revoir!

Aleayah and Daisy

This year we have been learning how to play songs on the violin, viola and cello with Mr Veldman, Mrs Mackie and Ms Nyhuis. Just last week, Mr Veldman was conducting us. We have enjoyed the musical showcase where we performed.

Lena, Luna and Doris

This term in PE with Ms Gray, we have been starting to do Gymnastics. Some of the warm-ups that we have been doing are tuck sits, candle stick and straddle sit. Some of the things that we have been learning are beam, hand stands and cartwheels. Our highlights are candlestick and beam.

Abi and Kira

As you can see, there is so much learning and invaluable opportunities that help enrich our students learning experience. We can’t wait to share more of our learning next time!

Sandy Batty | Year 3 Teacher

Year 5

Term 3 will be a busy term for the Year 5 girls, with many exciting activities such as sporting events, the House Public Speaking competition and camp at Sovereign Hill to support our Inquiry unit of the Gold Rush.

The girls began the Term with a workshop run by Toolbox Education on Managing Meltdowns. They were introduced to the analogy of a Coke bottle to represent our bodies – when strong emotions shake our Coke bodies, we can feel like we’re ready to explode. The girls practised five different strategies to help them feel calmer, such as using our five senses to ground ourselves or using movement to help guide our emotions from negative feelings to positive feelings. It was a great opportunity for the girls to explore ways for them to navigate challenging situations.

We have also begun to explore the history of the Gold Rush, beginning with tasks such as See-Think-Wonder and 3,2,1 Bridge to explore what we already know about the Gold Rush and how it changed Australia, and what we would like to find out. These thinking routines provide the girls with opportunities to ask deep, open-ended questions that they will be able to research the answers to as we progress through our Inquiry unit. We have also begun to explore some of the changes in Australia that resulted from the Gold Rush, through looking at buildings in Melbourne’s CBD that were built before, during and after the Gold Rush, and the similarities and differences in these buildings. As part of this unit, the girls will participate in the Gold Game, where they take on the persona of a gold miner and try to navigate the difficulties that miners experienced as they mine for gold and determine whether this will be a profitable endeavour for them or whether they should take up opportunities to branch into other trades.

Another exciting part of our Inquiry unit will be our camp to Sovereign Hill in week 4. This will be a challenging experience for many due to the overnight stay, but also an opportunity for powerful learning as the girls can see and experience a living museum representing the conditions in Victoria during the Gold Rush.

Sarah Schmidt | Year 5 Classroom Teacher

Read the Big Freeze Article and view the image gallery.

Boys’ Junior School News

Term 3 is certainly shaping as one of high excitement as we begin to immerse ourselves into rehearsals for our end of Term Production, Madagascar Junior. This fun and energetic production will feature all of our Prep-Year 6 boys, with the renowned and most appropriate I Like To Move It, Move It symbolic of our boys. As an added bonus, each boy now has a Production T-Shirt that he wears to our Prep – Year 6 rehearsals, adding to the sense of teamwork and being a special part of the Madagascar journey.

Public Speaking Competition

To further enhance their confidence and delivery of speech in front of an audience, Our Years 3-6 boys are also immersed in preparing for the House and Individual Public Speaking Competition to be held on Monday 26 August.

Each boy is preparing a speech chosen from the topics of:

• The Ultimate School
• This is Me
• A Journey
• or Free Choice

Speeches will initially be presented in front of class, and then then move to the larger assembly forum.

Scotty James visit

We are all very excited for the return visit of World Champion, Alumni and Avenue of Excellence inductee Scotty James on Friday 9 August.

As well as interacting with our Junior School students and sharing his latest adventures, Scotty will be launching his first ever picture story book Mooki vs the Big Scary.

Scotty’s visits are always fun and inspiring and we are sure that this year’s will be bigger and better than ever!

Read the Big Freeze Article and view the image gallery.

Adam Kenny | Head of Boys’ Junior School

Secondary News

With Term 3 well under way, it has been great watching our students approach their school life in such a positive manner. There is a challenge for all students to balance their academic efforts across their subjects, with their active involvement in our co-curricular program. Following on from their Semester 1 results, our students have been challenged to set themselves goals based on their measured Learning Behaviours. This could come from a variety of factors including organisation, time management, active involvement in class, or any one of our key areas that will help them to achieve their own level of success. A new Semester, with some new subjects (Years 7 – 10), provides a great opportunity to start some different practices.

This term has seen the beginning of our House Music competition which will conclude on Thursday 22 August prior to our mid-term break on Friday 23 August. House Music has our students performing to a designated theme and this year it’s the 80s. It includes a song of choice for each House, as well as a common song across all Houses, and this year it’s You’re the Voice by John Farnham, a favourite among everyone! We are also very fortunate that Lisa Edwards (mother of Maddy, Class of 2016) who was one of John Farnham’s back-up singers at the time of You’re the Voice, will be a judge for the event. We look forward to a great competition and then to hearing all our community join as one to sing it at Celebration Evening.

The House competition continues to be strong across the School, and the cross-country was held last week. Held on-campus at School, the course takes our students on a path down onto the farm, around the back paddocks and then back up the hill through the bush. In real cross-country style, the run was a great mixture of hills, dirt tracks and mud. The effort from all students was amazing, with Mansfield-McKie running away with a big win on the day. Congratulations to all Mansfield-McKie students and to our individual place getters across all year levels.  See the Sports Matters for more photos and results.

Another process currently underway is our subject selection process for 2025. This includes our Years 7 and 8s looking at electives they may wish to try next year, to our Year 9s considering the idea of potentially accelerating into a VCE subject, or continuing with a straight Year 10 load. Our Year 10s are forming their ideas around what their VCE load will look like over the coming two years and our current Year 11s will be consolidating their plans for their final year based on their experiences so far. These selections are due by the end of this week, and it is important that all students submit their selections on time.

This term provides more opportunities for our students to engage in activities outside the classroom. We have our Years 7 and 8 debating competition beginning, Year 9s going on camp to the snow, our Ski/Snowboard team competing in the School Championships, the Middle School Musical, and much more! Along with the extra activities, our students are reminded of our ongoing Homework Club and Maths Assist that operate throughout the week and provide an opportunity for anyone to receive assistance with their learning.

Premier’s Award

We congratulate Year 12 student Jerrod who was awarded a Premier’s VCE Award at a ceremony on Wednesday 17 July 2024. The annual Premier’s VCE Awards recognise students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE).

This is an exceptional achievement for Jerrod, who in Year 11 achieved a perfect score of 50 for General Mathematics. The entire Tintern community is proud of Jerrod’s dedication to academic excellence.

Public Speaking

The Kate Jenkins AO Public Speaking Award is a coveted annual event for students in Years 7 to 10 at Tintern Grammar. Each Year level conducts the competition, that culminates in a final and we are fortunate to have Alumni return to Tintern to adjudicate. This week, we held the Year 10 Final, a lively competition that demonstrated the depth of analysis and expression in these confident future leaders. The place getters were:

1^st: Tammy Lerk

 2nd: Sebastian Humphrys

3^rd: Cheuk Yui Lam

 We thank Assistant Principal Oriana Constable, Belinda Collins Class of 1991 and Samantha Green Class of 2003 for their expert adjudication and thoughtful feedback.

Debating

World Challenge Nepal 2025 

Last week at Assembly we heard from the World Challenge team about an exciting opportunity for our students to take on the World Challenge in Nepal in 2025. We have a Parent/Student Information Session on Tuesday 6 August in the Theatre at Tintern Grammar. 

If you are interested in World Challenge,  please RSVP to attend to find out more about this exciting opportunity for students currently in Years 9 to 11. 

100 Days of Year 7

The Big Freeze

The Big Freeze in our Secondary School was held at lunchtime on Friday 14 June. Secondary teachers and students volunteered to have a freezing bucket of ice water poured on them on the Tintern oval. It was a terrific day of fun and fundraising that showed the Tintern spirit. Our Junior School teachers braved the freezing conditions first thing in the morning to fearlessly face the ice bucket challenge. Funds were raised by the sale of Big Freeze beanies and those who purchased a beanie were in the running to tip the bucket over teachers. We will leave you with some images of these brave volunteers!

Secondary Big Freeze

Junior School Big Freeze

Brett Trollope | Head of Secondary

Community News

Community Dates

 Please check the information below carefully for details:

• Friends of Music (FOM) next meeting: Wednesday 14 August at 7.00pm CM Wood Common Room
• Tintern Parent Group (TPG) next meeting: Thursday 8 August at 7.00pm CM Wood Common Room
• 5 Year Class of 2019 Reunion: Friday 9 August at 7.30pm – 11.00pm at Budgie Bar
• TPG Fathers’ Day Stall: Wednesday 28 August 8.30am – 1.00pm at Southwood Cente
• FOM – Jazz Night: Saturday 31 August at 7.00pm at CM Wood Centre
• Avenue of Excellence: Saturday 7 September at 7.00pm at CM Wood Centre
• TPG Presentation Ball: Saturday 14 September at Ivanhoe Centre

Please click here to view a Tintern map of the meeting venues

Tintern Parents Group 

There are so many ways to get involved with the Tintern Parents Group (TPG) with multiple events and opportunities to participate in throughout the year.  Even if you are not available on a Thursday night, many of our events are organised by subcommittees led by an experienced TPG member, which meet on other days. This enables flexibility for parents who may not always be available on a Thursday and/or want to get involved in specific events. Choose what suits you best. No effort is too small!

All are welcome at TPG meetings and we look forward to meeting you. If you are interested in more information, or would like a new membership form, please email us.

Calendar of upcoming meetings MyTintern – Tintern Parent Group

TPG Trivia Night

It was Saturday Night Fever at Tintern Grammar on Saturday 20 July when the Tintern Parents Group held the annual Tintern Grammar Trivia Night.

In a packed room our community got into the vibe of the night dressing in the 70s disco theme. The TPG did an amazing job in accumulating Silent Auction and Raffle prizes, and we will find out the final fundraising amount later this week. We thank Mr Kenny who was our host, his cryptic questions and hilarious activities kept us thinking and laughing all night. What a wonderful community evening!

A special thank you to all the Tintern families and our local community businesses who donated to the Trivia Night Raffles and prizes:

TPG Presentation Ball 

We are very excited for our upcoming annual Presentation Ball on Saturday 14 September at The Centre, Ivanhoe. 

Our Year 11 Presentees and their partners have been hard at work learning their dances and preparing for this enchanted evening.

Presided over by Cathy Saisi, a professional dance teacher who has previously taught our students for past balls and she is also a currently staff member in the Junior School, the first class was a tremendous success and it’ll be a fun time learning all of the dances. 

Guest tickets are now open and close on Thursday 8 August, and can be purchased online here.

Thank you to the incredible TPG Volunteers, led by Sherie Vicary- Carter, who have made this wonderful night possible.

We are seeking additional helpers in the afternoon and evening, if you can assist, please email Sherie.

Parent Representatives 2024

Feel free to reach out to your Parent Representatives who liaise between parents/guardians and the School and inform parents about activities planned either by Tintern Grammar, our community groups or within the class or year level, such as social gatherings, fundraisers or events. Parent Representatives also organise class or year level functions to provide parents with the opportunity of meeting and socialising in a relaxed atmosphere. It is a great opportunity for class groups to connect, while supporting our local community cafes and restaurants. Year levels and classes can have one or many representatives and many hands make light work!

If you are interested in being a Parent Representative, please contact the Community Relations Office on 9845 7877  email Community Relations

Fathers’ Day Stall

ELC and Junior School students can enjoy the TPG Fathers’ Day Stall on Wednesday 28 August 2024 from 8.30am to 1.30pm, in the Southwood Centre.

Gifts range in price from $3 – $15, please remember to send a bag on the day for your child to put their goodies in!

If you are able to assist with the stall or have any questions, please contact Claire.

Rain approaching don’t forget the TPG Tintern Grammar branded umbrellas 

Purchased from an Australian owned company, and constructed with high-quality components, these beautifully branded umbrellas will withstand harsh conditions.

You can choose from a large golf-style umbrella or a compact, lightweight folding umbrella and purchase online here. Upon payment, please take the order confirmation to the Uniform Shop to collect your umbrella. 

The Uniform Shop is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during term time from 8.00am to 4.15pm. 

TPG wet bags are back!

Tintern wet bags are an initiative from the Tintern Parent Group and are versatile for a range of uses from swimming to camps. Simply roll down the top closure and close the snap lock for a waterproof seal.
Made from robust laminated nylon grid cloth, with heat-sealed waterproof seams.

You can purchase wet bags here. 

Once the bags have been purchased, they can be collected from the Uniform Shop during normal Uniform Shop open hours. Upon payment, please take the order confirmation to the Uniform Shop to collect your bags. 

The Uniform Shop is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during term time from 8.00am to 4.15pm. 

Friends of Music

We are ever so grateful for the ongoing support of the parents on our Friends of Music committee.  We welcome new members to join and support the activities of our Tintern musicians. Our next meeting is on Wednesday 1 May and we would love any interested parents/friends to take this opportunity to meet us and consider joining our committee. 

Our Committee Members for 2024 are President: Denise Honan, Vice-President: Nicole Rosewarne, Secretary: Sally Blank, Treasurer: Joy Gao

If you would like more information or would like to join the committee please contact Friends of Music mailto:fom@tintern.vic.edu.au

Reunions 2024

Upcoming Reunions

5 Year Reunion – Please don’t forget to register for our up and coming 5 Year Reunion Class of 2019 this Friday 9 August at 7:30 PM at the Budgie Bar in Ringwood. Join us as we walk down memory lane with the class, including school captains Rose Russell and Joel Pearce-Smidt as we hear about the exciting things they’ve all been up to since leaving school. This is a free event for teachers and staff, and we would love to see you there! Book your Free tickets here:- Class of 2019 – 5 Year Reunion 2024 | Humanitix

Class of 2014, 10 Year Reunion, Saturday 17 February. See photos

Golden High Tea, Tuesday 5 March. See photos

If you would like to contribute to Community Matters, email your submissions to the Community Relations Office and we will incorporate your news wherever possible.

Spring High Tea

Join the Tintern Community for a lavish and luxurious High Tea.

 Mary Eats Cake, Montrose.

Thursday 31 October 

12.30pm to 3.00pm

Book now to receive the Early Bird $75 price

Enjoy a glass of bubbly (or other preferred drink) on arrival.

You will enjoy a delicious assortment of savory and sweet delights, plus unlimited scones, jam and cream.

Bottomless specialty teas and coffee. 

Lots of door prized to be won!

All welcome – bring a friend

(over 18 event)

Book Now 

Avenue of Excellence

The Tintern Grammar Avenue of Excellence has been established to formally celebrate and honour the outstanding achievements and contributions of extraordinary Alumni in their fields of endeavour. Inductees into the Avenue of Excellence have proven their abilities at a national or international level in a wide range of sectors, and the Avenue serves as an inspiration for current and future students to pursue excellence.   Previous inductees include Helen Reddy, Scotty James, and Penelope Thwaites.

This year, we are pleased to announce the induction of Kate Jenkins AO, Class of 1985, into the Avenue of Excellence. Kate was nominated by various community members and exceeded all criteria in the Community and Public Service category.

Kate is a champion of equal rights and a transformational leader who has led cultural reform and advanced diversity, inclusion, and performance in Australian workplaces, sports, parliament, the arts, education, and the security sector. Kate is Chair of the Australian Sports Commission and Chair of the Creative Workplaces Council. She was previously the Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner, the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner, and an employment lawyer with Herbert Smith Freehills. Additionally, Kate has served on the boards of Berry Street Victoria, Heide Museum of Modern Art, Play by the Rules, and Carlton Football Club.

The Tintern community is invited to this very special evening to induct and honour Kate on Saturday 7 September, at a cocktail event to be held at Tintern Grammar. All tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets purchased before Sunday 11 August 2024, qualify for an early registration discount. To access this discount, use the code EARLYBIRDAOE

Register Now

2024 Non-government schools census collection notice

Collection Notice for Staff, Parents and Guardians

Information from The Australian Government Department of Education, regarding the purpose, use and disclosure of information.

Click here to read