From the Principal

Our feature From the Principal article is written this issue by Head of Secondary Brett Trollope.

Future ready

As adults, we are all aware how quickly the world is changing, especially after the last two and half years. We have seen an incredible wave of growth in the technology sector that has brought about significant changes in the way we go about many aspects of our lives. How we interact personally with our friends and families, how we watch TV or sport, the way we shop for goods and services, the way we even meet new people. All of this was already changing pre-COVID; however, it has just been accelerated.

The world of work has also changed significantly in almost all professional sectors. If asked the question in 2019 if we as teachers could effectively “teach” our students over an electronic platform such as Teams or Zoom, secondary teachers would have laughed at such a thought (hiding their actual feeling of horror!). No one would argue that having students at school is absolutely preferable for them and their learning, but we have demonstrated as a community that we can adapt to the situation presented and still accomplish the learning outcomes we hoped to achieve.

This flexibility and adaptability are no doubt present across many other sectors who would also have been forced to make significant changes in their internal structures and/or processes in to maintain success in these turbulent times. It is this ability to embrace change and to demonstrate resilience and perseverance that would have aided them throughout their journey. What it highlights to all of us is,  these attributes need to be continually fostered and developed to provide our students with the confidence and capabilities to embrace the challenges that they will face both at school and through their adult lives.

The future of education is about educating the whole person, not just their academic side. Schools need to provide opportunities for creativity, entrepreneurialism, collaboration, and communication. The learning of the three Rs still has a significant place; however, it needs to sit together with programs designed to develop students’ critical thinking, resilience, and reasoned problem solving.

In Tintern’s Secondary School our academic program is very strong. It is designed to provide and develop the strong foundations required for students’ future learning and their professional lives, whilst also providing them with opportunities to develop areas of interest and passion. In the Middle School the curriculum is broad to provide students with exposure to as many areas of learning as possible. This enables students to begin developing their areas of passion whilst continuing to build and strengthen their academic foundations. These academic strengths are fostered not just through our classroom teaching, but also through our curriculum support program, and our enrichment and enhancement programs. Each of these areas are designed to provide all students with the appropriate level of academic support and challenge.

As students progress into the Senior College in Year 10, their academic program begins to focus more toward individual areas of interest and strength. This culminates in completing on average between 5 or 6 VCE Unit 3-4 subjects as part of their completion of Year 12. From here, our students then look to move into any number of post-secondary areas such as tertiary education or even the workforce.

We strive to create graduates that are future ready. Are they adaptable? Are they flexible? Can they cope with change? Do they have a level of resilience that will allow them to cope with the ups and downs that life will throw at them? These are the skills and attributes that  have been developed through their schooling by participation in academic and the many non-academic programs and opportunities. From their involvement in our tailored pastoral program integrating The Resilience Project, to the wide variety of co-curricular opportunities available. The emotional and social development that is aided by programs such as The Man Cave, Enlighten Education and Toolbox Education, as well as involvement in activities such as the School musical, the Sports program, Music and Singing, and the many different clubs and societies all assist in developing other attributes and skills that will be vital for their ongoing sense of achievement and fulfilment. We have recently introduced Cultures of Thinking from Harvard University to all staff and students across ELC – Year 12. This is aimed at engendering broader capabilities in academic learning by the type of collaborative, deep thinking activities this framework instils.

Historically, education has been reluctant to embrace change and been quite set in the way things are done. A positive that may have come from COVID-19 is the recognition of what education really needs to be for our students, and that significant changes need to occur. Maintaining a strong academic focus is very important. Now more than ever, this needs to sit alongside the development of the whole person in order to best prepare our students for life after school. We want our graduates to have the confidence and courage to embrace the challenges and opportunities that will be available to them when they move on and look to contribute positively to our world.

Brett Trollope | Head of Secondary

Music Matters

School Anthem revealed

You may have read in our recent social posts the news of the visit to Tintern last week by composer, Paul Jarman, who has written our new School Anthem. Be sure to visit our website or social streams to catch up on all of the news about his visit and the upcoming premiere performance of the anthem on 17 October.

Friends of Music create a Winter Wonderland

 A beautiful sparkling Winter Wonderland descended on the CM Wood Centre last Friday night as our fabulous Friends of Music committee opened the doors to our first Tintern Jazz Night in three years! Alongside our student Jazz Ensembles and Swinging Singers (aka our senior choirs), we welcomed an Alumni Jazz Band to the stage, consisting of students who had missed out on their Jazz Nights during the lockdown periods. Interspersed with student performances were amazing dance sets provided by Ross Irwin and his band. A major fundraising raffle was conducted during the evening with 18 prizes from local donors.  Many thanks to the Friends of Music for bringing this wonderful event to fruition and to all families who attended and contributed to what was a most convivial night of entertainment and fun.

Some of our Music Leaders reflected on the night:

‘I found the Jazz Night to be a lot of fun. The decorations were fabulous and it was great to enjoy some good music and food with friends – what more could you want? Performing as part of the Swinging Singers was very enjoyable and the environment was very warm. The performances were all fantastic. Ross Irwin’s band was terrific and it was hard to resist the dance floor when the band got fired up. All in all, it was a delightful night!’

 Nishka Fernando  | Instrumental Music Captain 2022

‘It felt wonderful to be a part of the Jazz Night on Friday evening! The CM Wood was adorned in its ‘winter wonder’ and it was a delightful night full of song, food and dancing. It was a beautiful opportunity to share our music with family and friends. I would like to extend a thank you to the Friends of Music and all the music teachers who made this event possible. It was certainly a night to remember where the music connected us all.’

Natasha Gillam | Choral Co-Captain 2022

‘The night was one to remember as families and friends gathered together and laughed and danced the night away together listening to the most amazing jazz music. My favourite part of the night was when everyone got up to dance and have a blast with the incredible Ross Irwin Band. The live music was so exciting to listen to, I could not stop moving my feet! Everyone was beautifully dressed to the theme of Winter Wonderland and the tables were decorated with sparkling lights, making the night feel so special.’

 Ella Jones | Choral Co-Captain 2022

Congratulations to Jazz Award Winner, Isaac Hong

Year 12 clarinettist and saxophonist walked away from Jazz Night as the very deserving recipient of the Ron Trigg Jazz Musician Award. This award goes to a member of the Senior Jazz Ensemble who has demonstrated a passion for jazz, development of their skills and an understanding of the Jazz idiom. Congratulations, Isaac!

Year 12 composer at work in our midst

I began to write my piece “Time is Finite” in the last week of Term 2 for my Music Styles and Composition class which I attend through Virtual School Victoria (VSV). I have been continually writing this piece over the last 9 weeks, building upon a prompt I was given about the idea of how I could develop a musical theme/idea through variation, contrast and repetition. I chose to write for a string orchestra because I was familiar with how to write pieces for that type of Orchestra and because I had played Violin in both the Scrolls String Orchestra and Symphony and had a grasp on how to write for the instruments. 

I have always had fond memories of Scrolls and with how the software made my piece sound. I decided that it needed to be played live to really bring my piece to life. I asked Mrs Mackie whether the Scrolls ensemble was available, and then asked if they wanted to play my piece, and she said, ‘Yes!’

Over the last few weeks, we have been rehearsing my piece and preparing for our recording date by going through each part very closely and practicing. It has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience, as I can finally hear what my piece sounds like. I would like to thank Mrs Mackie and the members of Scrolls for giving up their time to help rehearse and perform my piece. This piece wouldn’t be the same without everyone who helped.

Tristan Stafford | Year 12

Singing Soiree

On the evening of Monday the 15 August, Tintern held its annual Singing Soirée. It was wonderful to see a number of students sharing their lovely voices and having an opportunity to gain performance experience. It was a delight to be surrounded by a cordial ambiance and an encouraging audience, especially succeeding the absence of performance opportunities during the pandemic.  

The concert presented a range of styles and genres, and the singers overcame challenges of nerves and how to present themselves on stage. Singing is a wonderful creative outlet and is always good for the heart and soul. It never fails to lift my mood and is a special way of connecting with people. It was heart-warming to not only see older students perform, but many younger students stepping out of their comfort zone and delivering beautiful songs. I hope all the singers and other students continue to put themselves out there as performing is an amazing way to gain confidence.

I would love to congratulate everyone on their incredible performances at the event, it was a very pleasant evening to attend. I would like to extend our thanks to Mrs Bezaire and our accompanists Ms McKenzie and Ms Tori Wood. We look forward to more beautiful sharing of music in upcoming events.

Natasha Gillam | Choral Co-Captain 2022

Essentially Ellington Downunder 2022

On a cold, Saturday morning in August, the members of the Tintern Grammar Senior Jazz Ensemble attended the Essentially Ellington event at Melbourne Polytechnic which was another brilliant opportunity to present our playing skills. Being a new location for all it was quite a busy start, exploring the campus not quite knowing where to go and calling on our wonderful Tintern community of parents to help retrieve our trombone player who was more than a little lost.

We warmed up and performed our three pieces, Lindy Hopper’s Delight, St. Thomas and 3AM, showcasing the result of our hard work from the past few months. Straight after our performance we had a private workshop with Jerome Jennings, who (to sum it all up) is a very talented jazz musician from New York who plays in the highly acclaimed Jazz At the Lincoln Centre Orchestra. He worked with us and taught us many insightful new skills and tips to jazz music. He was a very energetic person and spread his energy to all of us the more the rehearsal went on, showing us new ways to play the music and key things to make us sound even better, such as listening to different variations of the piece.

He taught us the importance of balance in music and how each section and musician plays a massive part in creating good sound quality and tone. Everyone was given some excellent tips and feedback and I am sure most would agree when I say that the overall experience, whilst a little scary, was very enjoyable and we all are very excited to apply his feedback into our playing during our future rehearsals.

Daniel Sun, Year 9 | Drummer and Vibraphonist – Tintern Grammar Jazz Ensemble

Victorian School Music Festival – Concert Band and Wind Symphony awarded GOLD!

Woodwind, Brass and Percussion music is alive and well at Tintern Grammar. The students of the Concert Band and Wind Symphony attended the Victorian School Music Festival (VSMF) on 16 and 17 August. This was a wonderful opportunity for the students to perform, receive feedback from renowned professionals in the field of Symphonic Wind Band playing and to see students from other schools perform, giving them a wider view of the music community that resides right here in Melbourne.

Our bands received wonderful feedback from our adjudicators, as they admired the musicality, the accuracy, and the sensitivity with which the band played. They commented on the balance, the students’ understanding of what they were playing, and how responsive they were to requests from the adjudicators throughout their workshop. Both bands, although abuzz with nerves, rose to the occasion and received a Gold Award for their efforts. This is a fantastic achievement, of which the students should be very proud. They are a talented, engaged and committed group of students and it is wonderful to see them reap the reward for their efforts. Congratulations Concert Band and Wind Symphony. The school and Mrs Clarke are very proud of you and excited to see the next phase of your development as musicians, using all the pearls of wisdom gleaned from your time at the VSMF.

Lisa Clarke | Head of Music – Instrumental Performance

Woodwind and Brass Concert – 22 August

The festival of music at Tintern continued on 22 August with a wonderful display of emerging talent at our Woodwind and Brass Concert. With over 25 individual solo performances and three lovely ensembles performing, it was a real treat for our dedicated and attentive audience of family and friends. The students ranged from those just beginning their instrument through to our seasoned performers, all of whom enjoyed the opportunity to perform with our fabulous accompanists for the evening, Heather McKenzie and Janette Patton.

It was great to see our growing Brass department feature with the return of our Brass Ensemble, performing an Irish Tune from County Derry, and solo trumpet and French Horn performances.  Although performing solo is a challenge, it is a rewarding experience and one which helps musicians grow, develop confidence, and understand not only how to manage nerves but what it means to share their music with others and the joy that brings. All the students should be very proud of their performances, and we hope some of them will take up the opportunity to perform again at our Twilight Concert in Term 4.

Lisa Clarke | Head of Music – Instrumental Performance

Sport Matters

Senior Girls Hockey Premiers

The Senior Girls Hockey Team are joint Premiers with Donvale Christian College.  A very exciting and close game was played with the end result being 2 v 2.  In a heart-pumping finish to the game, each team scored a goal during ‘extra time’, levelling the scores and declaring both teams joint premiers. 

Congratulations to our team who played a very fast and skillful game, fighting hard throughout to ensure that Donvale’s score was kept to a minimum.  Fantastic teamwork and sportsmanship by everyone and a special congratulations to Saskia Jackson Smith who not only coached the team, but was also awarded ‘Player of the match’.

Trine Ord | Head of Physical Education, Careers Consultant

Show Jumping 

We congratulate Olivia Park Year 10 for competing with her beautiful horse Jinx at the St Andrews Memorial Finch Showjumping on 28 August. Competing in two rounds, 2 phase and Table C (both speed rounds), Olivia won Round 1 by 0.03 of a second and Round 2 by 4 seconds. 

Volleyball update

Congratulations to all of the middle school teams who competed at the Volleyball Victoria 4 day cup. The championship school has been announced and the final results are in. Tintern improved significantly from pervious years results, finishing 12^th overall. Out of 33 schools that competed, this is a great effort. Well done.

Out of the 10 teams that Tintern sent to the tournament, 4 teams played in the finals, with the Year 9 girls winning the silver medal. Not only do the students play throughout the tournament, they also referee/ duty each others games. At the end of each game the duty team votes on the most valuable player of the match. These results are counted up over the four days, and each division is awarded an MVP.

Tintern was successful in Year 7 with the Girls Division 2 MVP going to one of our students, congratulations to Naomi De La Peirre.

Tintern are keen to continue our Volleyball program, and the development of the middle school students. Mrs Petchell will be running a skills session for Years 7-9 on a Tuesday lunchtime for the final 3 weeks of Term. Starting on the 30  August.

If you are interested in being involved, please come along.  Runners must be worn.

Alternatively, there is a Sunday session being hosted by Maroondah Volleyball, please contact Catherine for further information.

There is one final Volleyball tournament to be held in late November. Information is still to be confirmed, team training for this will occur next term.

Well done again to all teams, and we look forward to bringing home even more medals next year.

Jessica Petchell | Secondary Science, Health and Physical Education Teacher Volleyball Coordinator

Scholarships – Closing Soon

Tintern Grammar 2024 Scholarships Close

Friday 9 September – 4pm

There has been great interest within our community about our 2024 Scholarships. This is a  friendly reminder that our Scholarship applications close on Friday 9 September at 4pm.

A Scholarship to Tintern opens diverse and challenging opportunities for the holder and provides breadth and depth to their education. Scholarships carry a duty to contribute and lead within the Tintern community.

Tintern Grammar 2024 Scholarships

We have a broad range of Scholarships on offer for 2024 and we welcome applications from young women and men to join the Tintern learning community for entry into 2024.

• Academic Achievement and Leadership Scholarships
• Future Voices (General Excellence) Scholarships
• Music Scholarships
• Performing Arts Scholarships
• Social Justice Scholarships
• The Dr Sylvia Walton AO Alumni Scholarship
• The Mike Blood Alumni Scholarship
• The Henry and Jean Speagle Scholarship

Find out more and apply now

ELC News

Science Week 2022 inspired our youngest Tintern community members to make new discoveries through experiences and experiments that supported prior knowledge and welcomed new ideas to further explore.

A wide variety of investigations studied included what items could float and sink using alfoil boats, creating a fast balloon rocket, draining skittles of their colour and assembling a homemade lava lamp.

Our Early Learners and Pre-Preps were encouraged to hypothesis and predict what could happen and then reflect on what they observed. Before making predictions we first needed to think, “what is a prediction?” It was concluded that a prediction is a promise you make when you’re not joking. Some predictions made when conducting the balloon rocket were:

“It’s going to be loud”.

“The tape won’t stick onto the straw”.

“The balloon might pop”.

After overseeing the experiment, the findings were that only three of Pre-Preps found the experiment to be loud, the tape stuck to the straw very easily and, the balloon did not pop.

After creating a number of successful investigations it became very clear that science week was a big hit!

Brooke Mitchell | ELC Teacher

Girls’ Junior School News

Full STEAM Ahead!

This term Year 1A’s Integrated Studies focus has been on Light and Sound. We have been looking at what natural and artificial light sources are, as well as the importance of light and sound sources in our everyday life. 

During a STEAM lesson with Mrs Campbell, the girls got an absolute buzz out of working with battery powered circuit boards. The girls displayed excellent collaboration with their partners as they learnt through hands on creation and discovery. The girls discovered the circuits had to be closed in order to allow the electrical energy to flow and move.  With this understanding the girls explored switching between open and closed circuits, using the power to light up a bulb, making a siren sound and sending fans whizzing up to the roof! 

Lucy Saarinen | Teacher 1A

Mindfulness in the Prep classroom

Each day the Prep girls participate in the practice of Quiet Mind. We have a growing list of ideas in our classroom and the girls enjoy choosing a different one each day. The girls have also enjoyed adding their own suggestions and demonstrating for their classmates. The girls engage well during these times and are able to clearly articulate the benefits of this practice; helps us to stay calm and clear our minds, encourages us to breathe deeply, helps us to focus on our learning, can help us to shift from cross or worried feelings to happy ones. Last term we made breathing wands and these are a popular request. Use of these, encourages a slow and steady exhalation to make the streamers flutter. By far, the girls’ favourite activity is The Bell. The girls sit in a circle and pass a little brass bell around the circle. On the first round, the girls give the bell a quiet ring and on the second round, the aim is to pass the bell without it making a sound. All attention is focused mindfully on the bell as it progresses around the circle and by the end of the round, the feeling of calm and stillness in the room is considerable.

Mary Whitcher | Prep A Teacher

Dress Ups

Our Performing Arts program helps our Tintern girls build self-confidence and self-esteem. The students also learn how to explore outside their comfort zone, appraise new situations, think outside the box, express their thoughts, solve problems, cope with performance fears and build trust and self-reliance. Dress-up play in Prep and Year 1 allows our girls to dream, improvise and use their imagination. It gives them permission to pretend to be someone or something different. Whether they dress up as a unicorn, a fairy, a princess, a pirate, a creature or any other character, their brains go into high gear when they put on a costume! Students benefit cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally through dress-up play. When the girls dress up, there is no limit to who, where or what they can be and they have so much fun!

Puppets

Utilizing puppets in our Year 2, 5 and 6 Performing Arts classes creates such joy, and focus and enhances student’s oral language skills. From Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie puppets to the Muppets, students have watched some of Jim Hensen’s techniques and learnt how to make puppets capture imagination and come alive. When I watch the girls work with puppets, every emotion and every movement is mirrored in the puppeteer. The girls work on eye focus, movement, and correct lip sync all while keeping their heads and arms out of sight! They have written a short script, in groups, and created a short puppet show, which will be performed to a live audience. The students are so fortunate to be able to perform their puppet shows using the fabulous puppet theatre built for them by our Maintenance staff. They love bringing the puppets to life, interacting with each other and having so much fun!

Jacquie Casey | Junior School Choral and Performing Arts Co-ordinator

Boys’ Junior School

Book Week was celebrated our Boys’ Junior School last week with a special Prep-Year 6 Assembly, and the revealing of answers to Match The teacher to their Favourite Book competition.

We also celebrated GROICK’s birthday (our BJS thematic mascot) by playing the GROICK Board game in multi aged groups, and making special GROICK Biscuits

Secondary School News

There is the slightest hint that the weather is making a positive change toward a warmer Spring and it’s great to see all the new growth appearing on trees around the campus. We are blessed to have such a beautiful place to work and learn, and to enjoy the amazing colour changes that occur in our grounds over the different seasons.

Term 3 is nearing its completion and with that draws closer the end for our current Year 12 students. Their year is always a challenging one and we have been very pleased with the positive and determined approach our students have taken to their studies. With most subjects nearing the completion of content, focus will soon be moving toward exam preparation and practice. Over the coming holidays, the second week is dedicated to practice exams with a schedule emailed to all Unit 3 – 4 students (this includes many Year 11s as well). These practice exams are a great opportunity for students to reinforce study techniques, whilst also finding out important aspects of each subject that they may need to improve their understanding prior to the official examinations beginning in October.

Launch of the new School Anthem
On Thursday 25 August we were joined by songwriter Paul Jarman for the launch of our new School Anthem, “Deeds not Words”. Paul has written over 120 school anthems across Australia and other parts of the world, including our very own Southwood Boys song. He spent many days here prior to COVID interviewing staff and students, walking the grounds to get a feel for what Tintern is about. We wanted the Anthem to recognise the history of Tintern including the many years as a girls’ only school, the birth of Southwood and boys’ education, but more importantly the coming together to create Tintern Grammar and who we are today.

The launch of the song was amazing. The lyrics perfectly reflect the journey the school has taken and where it is going. The students had the opportunity to sing it for the very first time and there is no doubt that the anthem will become an integral part of Tintern Grammar. It will be launched to our community at our Annual Celebration Evening on Monday 17 October.

Year 11 and 12 Formals
On Thursday 18 August both our Year 11 and Year 12 students enjoyed their respective formals with the Year 11s celebrating it at Potter’s Reception Centre, whilst our Year 12s were at Bramleigh Estate. These events are an opportunity for our students to dress up and spend an evening enjoying a nice meal with friends, along with a lot of fun and dancing. We received comments from both venues to the impressive way in which our students conducted themselves on the night, and that they were a tribute to the school.

House Music
On Thursday 18 August we held our annual House Music competition in the CM Wood Centre. This competition runs over the first half of Term 3 and involves all Houses performing two songs at the competition. One of the songs is common across all five houses, this year the common song was Waterloo, whilst each House then chooses a second song to perform. Our House Captains work incredibly hard to bring their respective Houses along on the journey including live music (a band), as well as dance moves and props to add to their performances. There is always a lot of excitement by the final day and this year the competition was very close with Mansfield McKie taking out first place. Congratulations to all Mansfield McKie House members for a fantastic performance, as well as to all other Houses for their commitment and effort throughout this activity.

Leadership Preparation
We have begun the process of our school leadership for 2023 with our current Year 11 students. This has included an introduction to the different roles and responsibilities of each position, as well as the process that is required to apply. They have been given advice on what a good application should include, what makes a good leader and good leadership team, as well as what would make a good leadership speech. Applicants for the different positions will be putting together a video application that is then shown to both staff and students, before a vote for the different positions will occur. Our new student leadership team will be introduced at the final assembly of this term and their roles and responsibilities will begin early in Term 4 as our current leaders finish up.

Write a book in a day
Write A Book In A Day (WABIAD) is nothing short of a fabulous event for students. It is a fun, creative and collaborative writing competition for teams of 5-10 students, who write a book in a day; this alone would make it a fantastic enrichment event for students. There are several extra layers to this experience, however, which give it extra challenge. One significant addition is that each team has 5 set words which must be included in their story, and 5 set parameters which must be adhered to – such as who the main character is, the setting and the issue for the story. The stories must include illustrations, which were completed both by hand and using apps on devices. The task needed to be completed and uploaded within a set time frame, modelling real world project deadlines. Finally and very importantly, WABIAD is intended to raise funds for The Kids’ Cancer Project; in order for stories to be judged, a minimum of $240 per team must be raised or donated. Several teams fundraised for this event by organising bake sales, ‘guess the number of chocolates’ and lolly sales. In the lead up to these the teams advertised, pre-arranged notices and equipment and then dealt with the funds raised. Thank you to students, parents , relatives and staff who purchased items or donated funds to this important charity.

WABIAD was an extension opportunity offered through Tintern’s Horizon program this year. Students so obviously enjoyed the event that it is certain to be offered again in 2023. Photos, video and the completed stories can be found on the Portal in the Horizon component. All students involved will be given a printed copy of their team’s story.  

Dressage success
On the weekend of August 20 and 21 was the Boneo Dressage Interschools Round 2 where we had a number of our students competing. In an amazing performance we had Olivia Park (Year 10) place overall champion after placing 4^th in the first round and then 1^st in the second round. Her horse is named Tullows High Jinx and we’d like to give a huge congratulations to both Olivia and her horse, along with the other Tintern competitors at the event. We are looking forward to the finals in December.

Year 9 Challenge
The Year 9 Challenge Program tests students through engaging academic, pastoral and adventure-based activities. This week, the Year 9s have continued their participation in the Life Skills component of the program following on from Term 2. In groups of 12, students have rotated through a range of activities developing their skills in coffee making, car maintenance, domestic chores or resumes and job interviews, or undertaking a service to others through assisting at the ELC or Girls’ Junior School, working with The Freedom Initiative to prepare hampers of fresh produce for families in need, or working with the Tintern maintenance team around the school grounds. Not only do these activities develop personal skills and build teamwork, but they also enhance our students’ sense of perspective, gratitude and empathy. Students who have chosen to attempt their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award may also credit the time spent on these activities to the skill or service component of the award.

Student Progress Meetings
We have recently held our Semester 2 Student Progress Meetings where there is the opportunity for students, parents and teachers to get together to discuss the ongoing progress each student is making in their subjects. It’s a really good way to share information and to affirm partnerships around the ongoing learning and development of the students. For many of them they have been able to develop some strategies and set goals relative to their performance and their effort. It is important that the communication continues beyond these interviews and we do encourage all parents to keep in touch as required.

EISM Sports Success
On Wednesday 24 August we had four of our senior sports teams in Grand Finals. Our two senior girls’ volleyball teams (A and B) both played really well to run out comfortable winners in their respective grand finals. This follows on from the wider success we have been seeing with the volleyball program that has been developed at the school. Our senior girls’ hockey team drew with their opponent, even after extra time, and therefore in doing so both schools share the premiership. Whilst our girls touch rugby team lost by one try to Luther despite having four of our girls away on an outdoor education camp. This left them with just 6 players (no substitutes), whilst Luther had over double this and were able to rotate their players regularly to conserve energy. Congratulations to all students, especially the teams that made the grand finals, as well as those that won the premiership.

Uniform changes
As we have now reached the end of August, all students now have the option of wearing the summer uniform or the school uniform. This means that the dress can return, along with shorts and the untucked (no tie) shirts. A reminder that students must be in one or the other, not a mix of both.

Celebration Evening
Our annual Celebration Evening is on Monday 17 October at the Robert Blackwood Hall at Monash University Clayton. We haven’t been able to run this event over the last 2 years so we are very much looking forward to returning to Robert Blackwood Hall for the event. It is a compulsory event for all students in the secondary and parents will be invited to attend so please keep an eye out for the invitation.

Community Matters

ELC and Junior School students can enjoy the TPG Father’s Day Stall on Wednesday 31 August from 8.30am to 1.30pm, in the Southwood Centre.

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

If you are able to assist with the stall please nominate a day and time on the form available here and return to Junior Reception. Please note we will only contact you if we need to arrange an alternative time for you.

If you have any further questions please contact Danielle:  dkelberg04@gmail.com

Friends of Music Jazz Night – A wonderful Winter Wonderland!

After a 2 year hiatus, the Friends of Music and Tintern Music team organized an incredible 2022 Jazz Night. The ‘Winter Wonderland’ looked amazing, the music performances were spectacular, and if the packed-out dance floor for the last set of Ross Irwin’s septet is anything to go by, the students had a great night.

A big thank you to everyone who helped with the planning and preparations for Jazz Night 2022, and for helping on the night. We are grateful for the hard work of the amazing volunteers on our friends of Music.

Congratulations to the music department and students on staging a magnificent array of performances.

Thank you to our incredible local Community for their generous donations towards both the raffle and door prizes:

• Priceline Heathmont – Hamper
• CRK Ladies Wear – Red ladies purse
• Baybury Power – Mower or Brushcutter service
• Dan Murphy’s Ringwood – $25 voucher
• Barry Plant Heathmont – Bottle of G.H. Mumm sparkling wine
• IGA Heathmont – Bottle of Campo Viejo rosé wine
• Heathmont Dry Cleaners – $20 voucher
• Hook Line and Sinker Fish and Chips – 4 x $15 vouchers
• George Biantes Hair Design – Free haircut and blow wave
• Crumbles Bakehouse – 10% discount voucher
• Vanilla Pod Cafe – 4 x $10 vouchers
• The Framing Studio – $150 voucher
• Chapter Too – $20 voucher
• Becca Hair and Beauty – $70 voucher for cut and blowave
• Milk and Wine Co. – $50 voucher, 1kg Reverence coffee beans, 1 bottle Sir Paz 2016 Sauvignon Blanc and 1 bottle Brown Brothers 2019 Gamay wine
• Morgans Winery – 3 bottles of Wine
• A voucher for bed and breakfast at Lancemore Lindenderry Estate, Red Hill
• A hand-made tambourine which can be personalised for the winner

Don’t forget to Save the Date now for the next FOM event, Munch With the Musos on Sunday 27 November at 10am.

Parent Representatives 2022

Thank you to the many parents and guardians who have volunteered to act as the Parent Representatives for their Class or Year Level in 2022.
We are still seeking representatives for the following year levels:

• Year 9 Boys
• Year 10
• Year 11

Please note that some of the Class and Year Level representative are still in the process of being finalised, and this list will be updated on the Portal.

Parent Representative are a liaison between parents/guardians and the school. Informing parents about activities planned either by Tintern, our community groups or within the class or year level, such as fundraisers or events. We greatly appreciate the time and commitment given by our Parent Reps.

Parent Reps 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 still recovering from the lockdowns.

If you would like to volunteer to be your Year Level’s Parent Representative or would like further information contact us by email communityrelations@tintern.vic.edu.au or by phone 03 9845 7877.

A big thank you to Sally Robinson and Jenny Wang, Parent Reps for 3A, for organizing an incredible Class dinner on Thursday 25 August. A special thank you also to Wing, a 3A parent, whose restaurant  Dumpling Alley in Westfield Doncaster, provided the amazing meal for 60 people.

Community Fun Day

Community Committee Dates 

Community Group Meetings are now back onsite. Please check the information below carefully for details:

• Tintern Parent Group (TPG) –Next meeting: Thursday 8 September 2022 at 7pm President: Haidee Wallace Location: CM Wood Common Room Or join online by selecting here.
• Friends of Music (FOM) – Next Meeting: Wednesday 31 August 2022 at 7pm  President: Debra Fryer Location: CM Wood Common Room Or join online by selecting here
• Friends of Young Farmers (FOYF) – Next Meeting: Contact us for further information 
• Friends of Snowsports (FOS) – Next Meeting: Contact us for further information 
• Friends of Equestrian (FOE) – Next Meeting: Contact us for further information  Co-Presidents: Nelaana Heinrich and Sherie Vicary-Carter 

Please select here to view a Tintern map of the meeting venues.

Please note the following CovidSafe considerations to attend an onsite Community Group Meeting:

• Please remember to social distance.
• The wearing of masks when indoors at Tintern is required at this time.

Community Group Fundraising

Tintern Umbrellas – Limited Stock Remaining!

Entertainment Book

The Entertainment Book is 100% digital! Excitingly this means that your Membership is valid for 12 months from the date of activation. 

With many new offers and all the old favourites the value of this book is incredible!

You can purchase a membership now, for yourself, friend or family member, and activate at any time over the next 6 months (extended from 60 days). You then have 12 months to take full advantage of the many wonderful offers!

You can purchase Woolworths Wish e-vouchers for a 3% discount. Whether purchasing to do your weekly groceries, shopping at Big W, or stocking up on Essentials at BWS, Cellarmasters or Dan Murphy’s, or even getting petrol at Woolworths Caltex, the savings can add up.

Please click here to order your Entertainment book from Tintern Grammar. Instantly purchase and access a digital membership which can then be used on two separate devices.

Please contact Community Relations on 9845 7877 for further information.

All proceeds raised go towards the fundraising for the TPG!

Photo Albums

Luxury Tintern Photo Albums embossed with the Tintern Grammar logo in silver on a blue buckram cover.

The Tintern Parents Group have commissioned a limited number of albums, large enough to hold the school photos provided by SchoolPix.

They feature the Tintern Grammar Logo printed in silver on the front cover and come complete with 10 transparent 30cm x 30cm sheet inserts, plus a CD holder insert which holds 8 discs. You also have the option of purchasing additional sheets/inserts. Cost per album is $75 (GST inclusive) Samples (with content) can be viewed in the uniform shop.

Additional insert sheets are also available for purchase at $2 per sheet.

Simply place your order online here, and present your order confirmation at the Uniform Shop to collect your album

Uniform Shop Opening Hours
Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8am to 4.30pm

Community Fun Day – Saturday 22 October 2022 @ 1pm to 6pm

You are invited to  join us on Saturday 22 October from 1pm to 6pm for the Tintern Community Fun Day. Friends and family also welcome to attend!

Come along and enjoy the free activities, including a bungee trampoline and train, and meet the Tintern Farm animals.

Bring your own picnic rugs and/or chairs, and enjoy a picnic on the oval. You can bring your own, or purchase food from a selection of delicious food trucks; Cafe 2 You, Tom’s Mobile Ice Creams, Friends of Music Sausage Sizzle and Bacon and Egg Stall, Cyclone Tatties and Morgans Winery.

Enjoy musical performances from our incredible Tintern Grammar students, and an Acknowledgement of Country and Smoking Ceremony by a member of MMIGP.

The Tintern Parents Group will also be hosting a Raffle on the day, to be drawn at 5.30pm, with a selection of fantastic prizes on offer. Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5.

Book your attendance online here for a complimentary entry in to our door prizes, with winners announced throughout the afternoon!

STEAM Activities at the Fun Day – Design your Own Keyring – Bookings Essential

The Tintern Library and STEAM Centre are running a TinkerCad activity, with bookings being essential. TinkerCad is a program that allows you to design your own 3D personalized key ring, either your name or an animal. This will be 3D printed and delivered to you after the event. Sessions run every 30 minutes from 1.30pm to 4.30pm with limited availability for each time slot.

Please book your session online here.

Policy Updates

Please note the following policies have been recently updated and approved as part of our ongoing policy review cycle. The following policies can be accessed via these live links and are found on the myTintern Portal under School Policies – Parents

School Policies – Parents

• International Students Support Services Policy
• Welfare and Accommodation selecting, screening and monitoring policy